Advent Calendar
by CaptainMalcolmReynolds
Summary: LyraMaeArcher, Epcot97, DearestMrIcarus and I are counting down to Christmas with a reveal a day! You may get fluff, angst, humor or something else we have it all!
1. Reporting

_Authors Note: Hi everyone! The four of us wanted to bring you a little Christmas Magic! So you'll be getting a reveal a day from now until Christmas! Fluff, angst, humor, romance, you name it, this has it. Happy Holidays, everyone, from ChubbyUnicornMama, LyraMaeArcher, Epcot97 and DearestMrIcarus. _

_We are kicking things off with LyraMaeArcher!_

_Ep: Ic, I'm not sure having Lyra go first was such a good idea. She's such a brilliant author, she's gonna make us look bad. Quick, delete every fifth word before CM posts. _

_Ic: No, that's too obvious. We need to play a game of mad libs with Lyra's story. I'd give us a 50/50 chance of having a chance at beating her after that._

_*door begins to open*_

_Ic: Crap, Ep, run!_

_Lyra, using her disapproving mom eyes: Boys! Leave my story alone! _

_(Thanks for the self-deprecating compliments though. Even if they aren't true. 3)_

* * *

Revealed: Marinette and Adrien

* * *

Alya Cesaire prided herself on her journalistic abilities. As the world's number one reporter of all things Miraculous, she worked hard to find and create new and interesting things for her ravenous fans. While the posts and pages of her site were filled with everything from the serious reports on akuma sightings to gossip worthy discussions on Chat Noir and Ladybug's "assets," Alya's true passion was the pursuit of figuring out who exactly was under those masks.

The problem was that it was proving harder than anticipated to find the heroes' identities. Sure, theories were easy - there were more than enough in the thousands of comments on her blog. Alya herself had some suspicions. Suspicions that she finally felt was time to confirm (or not).

It had started when she'd gotten a filter on her phone that put a mask on photos. Flipping through her pictures, she'd jokingly popped a black cat mask on an ad photo of Adrien and had just about had a heart attack. The similarities were astonishing, even if Marinette in her crush-filled daze had instantly and rather vehemently dismissed the idea. True, Adrien's gentle meekness was nothing like the overdramatic behaviour of Chat Noir. Plus, every moment of Adrien's life seemed to be either busy with work or extracurriculars. Looks aside, it seemed unlikely her modelling friend would have the time to be a superhero. But it had piqued her curiosity.

Ladybug had remained mostly a mystery. The only person who seemed to remotely come close to looking like the spotted heroine had been Marinette, and Alya just couldn't picture that being a reality. Sure, Marinette wore her hair the same and had blue eyes, but the vision of gangly, accident-prone, spacey Marinette as the unflappable, death-defying Ladybug was nearly impossible.

Besides, Alya was sure if Marinette was Ladybug she would have slipped up by now. Said something or did something that could give her away. But Marinette was just her usual flailing, overthinking, blurting-out-whatever self.

Alya had started throwing the mask filter on every picture of every dark haired woman and girl in Paris she could find. She puzzled out loud, over and over, about how different the heroes might look with the masks and without them.

Although everyone thought that Alya ran towards the akuma fights solely for the purpose of recording the event for her blog, the truth was that she was also using it as an opportunity to study her favourite heroes in more detail. Hoping to get a glimpse or a clue of anything that might give their identities away.

Getting her own Miraculous had allowed her to get even closer. Being right in the thick of the action with Chat Noir and Ladybug had been like a dream come true. Watching them interact with each other - the flirting, the joking, the chiding, and the general ability to work together without words had been unbelievably fascinating. And also incredibly frustrating. No closer than she was before on breaking through the facade.

Alya often wondered why Ladybug had chosen her. Of all the people in Paris, why would Ladybug trust her to hold such a big secret? It needled under the skin. Did she know Ladybug outside of the suit? The thought burned in the back of her head.

Then there was Nino. Dear, sweet, naive Nino who had given himself away with a single word. Alya adored being teamed up with Nino as Carapace. But, why Nino? Did Ladybug know him as well?

Marinette's name kept popping into her head over and over.

It changed everything in Alya's head to watch Ladybug with that frame of mind, even as she stood recording the most recent fight.

The akuma battle was hard. She could see it taking a toll on the heroes. Chat had dropped most of his typical jokes in favour of straight up face-to-face combat. Ladybug had vanished and reappeared several times to get new Lucky Charms. They both looked exhausted. Alya wondered why they hadn't called for backup from other members of the team yet.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug's weary voice yelled out from a rooftop, a flash of sparkling pink light turning into an object that Alya couldn't see. There was a moment of silence followed by the heroine shouting for her partner. Chat ducked and dodged his way to where she stood, taking the object from her hand and running back into action as Ladybug swung into view. With quick and hurried movements, the pair went full-force against the akuma, avoiding the projectiles sent their way to get in close.

Alya kept her phone trained on the action in front of her while her eyes followed Ladybug. Could the girl behind the mask possibly be her best friend? She turned to look at Chat Noir who was busy cataclysming the akumatized object to dust. What if he WAS Adrien?

The rest of the fight was over - a white butterfly released from Ladybug's yo-yo and the victim back to normal. Ladybug and Chat had a private moment of quiet talk between them before Chat kissed her knuckles and she swung away. Alya pressed her way through the crowd to find the cat hero helping the victim to his feet with kind words of encouragement. She called out to him, hoping to get his attention, but only got a quiet salute before he vaulted himself up and over the rooftops.

Did Ladybug and Chat Noir know each other's identity? It was hard to tell, but time with the team had her thinking not.

At home, Alya spent hours sifting through photos, videos, news reports, and memories - anything she could find that could narrow her theory down to truth.

Although she didn't know for 100%, a few clear facts seemed to stick out now that she was actively paying attention.

#1. Both Marinette and Adrien seemed to have excellent skill at vanishing whenever an akuma attacked.

#2. There were a significant number of akuma battles that were directly related to her friends or a location that her friends had been before the akuma had arrived. There were even a few cases where a hero had shown up in a situation that they obviously had been on scene already. Scenes where Marinette and / or Adrien had been.

In detail, she watched the news clips from every battle that Adrien had been involved with as his civilian self - noting that Chat never appeared.

Pacing her room, Alya fought with herself. It still seemed surreal to think of her friends as superheroes. Could it be true? More and more the pieces seemed to fit together and the more it just seemed to make sense.

Glancing at the clock, she knew that it was typically the time when she could spot her favourite team doing their patrols. Phone in hand, she bolted from the apartment with a shout to her mom that she would be at Nino's. Tonight she would have an answer. Her heart pounded in excitement at maybe having broken such a big case.

As predicted, she spotted Chat running the rooftops.

"Chat!" she shouted, voice echoing against the walls of the buildings. He slid a little as he turned, catching sight of her frantic waving, before jumping to the ground.

"Hey Ladyblogger. What's up?" He leaned casually on his baton, Cheshire-style grin firmly in place. Oh, she was going to enjoy this.

"Not much, Adrien. Just thought I'd see if you've seen Ladybug tonight." She kept a very close watch on his face - noting the tiny reactions that he gave. A slight widening of the eyes, a tightening of the muscles in his shoulders, a subtle but sharp intake of breath. A fraction of a second too late he let out an overexaggerated laugh. Too loud. Too fake.

"Adrien? Adrien who? Like the model guy? Ha! Paw-lease. I'm way better than that pussy." He grinned too wide in his attempt to claim innocence. Alya felt like the fox who'd swallowed the hen.

"Give me a break, Adrien. I know it's you." He just stared at her. "Let's see. Blond. Green eyes. Body like a Greek god." He had the decency to blush. "Conveniently missing during most akuma attack evacuations and shockingly close to so many that you can respond instantly. Ladybug fanboy. Awkward as all hell. Am I missing anything?"

For a moment, she thought he was going to attempt to argue with her. She silently dared him to, staring him down with a single eyebrow raise. Finally he waved his white flag, shoulders slumping and face falling.

"You can't tell anyone, Alya. Promise me. I will lose my Miraculous. I can't lose Plagg. Please."

He almost sounded desperate. Alya wondered exactly how tight a rein his father had on him. She nodded.

"Pinky swear."

She eyed him as he sighed in relief.

"Unless….." she drawled.

He froze, eyes wide in terror.

"I was thinking of telling Marinette." His eyes widened even farther. "I thought you might like Ladybug to know her partner is actually the model she is in love with." So casual. So calm. So confident.

Chat sputtered, going a strange shade of grey and red, clutching his baton as if it were a lifeline.

"Alya!" he gasped, claw clutching at his heart.

She just grinned while snapping a picture of his meltdown.

"You know, you kissed her, right? I bet she would be happy to know that it was you. Anyway, next time Trixx and I come play superheroes with you guys, remind me to mirage a copy of yourself so you can see how obvious it is." His mouth dropped. "Nino might even notice - oblivious turtle that he is."

A noise from the rooftop above caught Alya's attention. Ladybug stood at the edge, peering down at them.

Alya grinned again, waving.

"Hey Marinette. Adrien is having a hard time down here. He could probably use some help."

Ladybug stumbled slightly, gasping in surprise as her eyes snapped from Alya's face to Chat. Chat who returned her wide-eyed stare.

With a laugh, Alya snapped one more picture of the stunned pair before walking away and disappearing into the night.

She had been right! Giddy on the inside, she practically floated home. Her fingers itched to tell the world that she knew their identities. That she had figured out the biggest mystery in Paris. It pained a little to know that she couldn't tell a soul.

Flopping on her bed, she spent most of the night wondering what school tomorrow was going to be like knowing that her best friends were the heroes of Paris.

What she hadn't expected upon arriving the next day was to find Marinette and Adrien pressed up against a wall, panting for air between frantic kisses. Seeing as they were lost in the moment, Alya leaned against the stairs and waited with a smirk.

"Woah. What's going on with those two?" Nino asked as he sidled up to lean beside her. Alya shrugged.

"Looks like they finally figured out who they are and decided to do something about it."


	2. When the Bug's Away

_Author's note: I wondered what it might be like if Marinette and Alya needed to leave the city for a bit, forcing Ladybug to rely on Chat and Carapace to keep Paris safe while she was gone. While I have no doubt in their ability to do so, perhaps letting the boys manage things while the girls are out of town might not be the best strategy. -ep_

_CM: At least Carapace is somewhat responsible? Right? (more than you or Chat, anyway…)_

* * *

Revealed: Adrien, Nino, Marinette, Alya

* * *

"So, this is a bit tricky."

Ladybug and I were sitting together on a tile roof we'd used a few times before as a casual meeting spot; in the late evening light, the lowering sun cast a golden glow against us and the building opposite. The Eiffel Tower was bathed in the final rays itself, making it appear to be more of a watercolor painting than actual steel. "Since when is anything we do easy," I laughed, leaning back on my paws. "What is it _this_ time?"

She hesitated, which caused me to turn toward her. I had a bad pun lined up but the look her face was so serious, I instead scooted a bit closer to her and wrapped an arm around her. "Hey, bug, it's just us. What's bothering you?" I asked quietly.

Normally such physical contact on my part was generally (and good naturedly) swatted away, but instead she moved a hand to my paw and squeezed it. "I've got a… thing," she said. "I'm going to be unavailable for a while, and you won't be able to get ahold of me."

My masked eyes flew open. "What?" I nearly hissed. Pulling back slightly, I scanned her, trying to determine if there was something physically wrong. "Are you sick? Can you even _be_ sick? It's not canc—"

Despite her seriousness, Ladybug smiled wanly. "Calm down, Chat. I'm perfectly all right. I just have to… be away for a bit, that's all."

I sat back further. "You're leaving Paris? How long?"

She flushed. "I didn't say that. And if I were, I couldn't tell you anyway."

"I suppose," I allowed. "But I'd feel better knowing you were safe."

"I will be," she said. "The tricky part, though, is that I can't leave you alone."

I smiled a grand Chat smile. "My love for you is true, Milady. I can wait for you to return."

That elicited a groan and a rolling of eyes. "I… wasn't worried in that regard," she laughed slightly. "I meant more that I can't have you running around Paris without backup."

I nodded slowly. "Can I have Carapace for bit? He'd be handy."

Ladybug shook her head. "You actually need a temporary Ladybug," she said. "Someone who can take care of the akumas."

I thought about that. A few weeks earlier, we'd had an odd situation where I'd wound up with the earrings for a bit and had become Mister Bug. It wasn't an experience I enjoyed overly, but it did give me an appreciation for what my partner went through beneath the burden of her Miraculous.

"I still say Carapace," I said firmly. "Based on how he's helped us in the past, he'd be a good fit with Tikki. Temporarily, of course," I added with a wink. "No one can replace you, Bugaboo. Not even me."

"Don't you forget it," she laughed. "All right, let me think about it. Whoever it is, though, I'll have them meet you here tomorrow at sunset."

I could feel the blood drain from my face. "You're going that soon?"

"Yeah," she said. "Sorry - I've known for a while, but I didn't want you to stew on it."

"Which I would - and still will."

"I know, kitty," she said, a slight affectionate tone in her voice as she picked up my paw again. "Don't worry, I'll be back."

"I'm going to miss you horribly," I said earnestly. Her departure suddenly made the possible future without the love of my life less of an academic thought experiment, and it was giving me a queasy feeling in the stomach.

She must have seen it on my face for she smiled again. "Please, kitty, don't worry. I _will _be back."

I swallowed. "How will I know that, Milady?" I asked honestly. "If something happens, there might not be any way for you to get a message to me - this could be the last night I'll ever see you!"

Ladybug flushed slightly. "I'd not thought about it like that," she said. "Look, how about this. I'll talk to Alya and get her to agree to post a message or two for me on her blog. Would that work?"

"How will I know it's you and not some random fan?"

She laughed. "Oh, you'll know," she said and then gently kissed me on the cheek.

Only somewhat mollified, I took her hand into my paw and kissed it. "I'll be waiting for you right here every evening," I promised. "Until you return."

"Chat—"

"Otherwise I am going to go crazy."

"All right," she laughed and we parted ways, though I was seriously tempted to quietly track her home. I'd nearly convinced myself unmasking her would be for her safety, but prudence kicked in and I headed back to the mansion for a long, sleepless night.

The next day felt even longer, tempered slightly by the anticipation of who I would find on the rooftop that evening. Ladybug seemed to have a knack for picking students from our classes at Dupont — well, that was an assumption, perhaps, since my entire data set consisted of only three people: Max, Alix and Marinette. Ladybug had kept the identities of Carapace and Rena to herself, and of course there was Chloe. Seeing as though I was also at Dupont, it stood to reason that Cap and Rena were students there as well. Luka was the only outlier, but since his sister attended Dupont with us, it made sense that our school was still a common denominator.

And possibly even for Ladybug herself. During that nasty run in with our science teacher, I'd thought Marinette _was_ Ladybug; I'd found out later Ladybug had granted her a Miraculous much like Luka, but she'd inadvertently exposed her identity to me (as Chat) and much like Chloe was now on the list of people forbidden to use one. Otherwise I would have suggested her to Ladybug; I was certain she'd have made a fantastic temporary partner.

I arrived on the rooftop as Chat just as the sun was starting to sink below the horizon once more. Lounging on the tile much as I had the night before, I somewhat impatiently watched as the shadows grew longer and the sun dropped lower; soon, the lights had come on for the Eiffel Tower and one by one the windows in the buildings around me started to illuminate. By the dinner hour, I was no longer simply impatient - I was wracked with worry that something _had _happened to Ladybug.

My baton was in my paw and I'd just started to speed-dial her bug phone when I heard a crash in the alleyway below me, followed by a string of curses. Leaping from my seated position, I curled over the edge of the roof and landed in the alley myself in a crouch. All I could see two red-and-black polka dotted boots, peeking just from the rim of the dumpster, and I tried not to smile.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I leapt to the edge of the dumpster and perched.

"No," came a very distinctive voice, muffled by the contents of the dumpster. "What little dignity I have is in pieces, down here at the bottom with me."

"The yo-yo is hard to master," I said as I reached in with both paws and yanked on a foot, dragging my new partner from the smelly depths. "Believe me," I grinned once I could see his face. "Ladybug gave me no end of grief for it."

Sheepishly, he sat on the edge of the dumpster next to where I was perched and shot an accusing glare at the yo-yo in his gloved hand. "I'm not sure why she picked me for this," he said looking back at me. "It's not really my style, Chat."

"It's only temporary, Cap," I laughed as I took in his new costume.

It was a sporty variation on the one he normally wore as Carapace, much as my version of the bug costume had hewed close to my Chat style. The base was red, of course, and the signature black polka dots were there but very stylized. Perhaps the biggest change was the full head covering - his mask was built into a polka dotted cap of a style very similar to what I'd come up with as Aspik. "You look _good_," I smiled. "But we need a new name for you."

"We do?"

"Yeah," I said. "Something grand," I mused, putting a claw tip to my chin. "I was _already_ Mister Bug, so how about—"

"Chat, let's just stick with Mister Bug," he interrupted.

"What?" I turned and saw he was still quite uncomfortable. As much as I wanted to make light of his situation, I was well aware of the burden of being the bug. "Oh… well, sure, if you're okay with it, Cap."

He nodded, then stared at the yo-yo again. "I can't do this," he said softly and sagged a bit.

"Yes you can," I encouraged. "You're not alone, either. We do this together."

Mister Bug looked at me like I'd sprouted another set of feline ears, but nodded anyway.

"Come on, let's get going," I encouraged. "We're already a bit late."

"Go? Where? Late for what?"

I smiled. "It's a patrol night," I explained. "Ladybug and I usually prowl the city a few times each week just to keep an eye on things. It's not strictly necessary - and Hawkmoth isn't kind enough to only throw akumas at us when we're not in school."

"School?" he repeated, and I realized I'd casually dropped in some identifying information without realizing it. "Do you go to Dupont?" he asked. "Both of you?"

I blinked my masked eyes, for now Cap had just admitted he, too, was a student at my school. "We shouldn't talk about that," I cautioned and then realized I'd not explicitly denied it.

His eyes widened. "You do, don't you?"

"Cap…" I started, narrowing my masked eyes. "We _can't_ discuss that. I have no desire to lose my Miraculous."

"Oh," he said. "But Ladybug already knows who we are."

"Not me," I smiled slyly. "I've managed to remain a cat of mystery."

"She didn't pick you?" he asked. "Like the rest of us?"

"No," I said, realizing he'd hit on something. "No, she didn't. The two of us were chosen separately, but she's the leader so it's her call as to who else we bring to the team."

"You don't both select new members?" He looked a bit surprised. "I assumed the two of you worked together on that. "

"No," I admitted, "we each have different but complementary roles. And I'm not sure I'm leader material anyway."

"Don't sell yourself short," he laughed. "How do we do this patrol thing, then…?"

"Usually we start in random places and sweep the city in a quasi-circular pattern…" I started.

I spent the first night slowly showing him the ropes, and carefully chose a route that allowed him to get a better handle on the yo-yo. I was by no means an expert having only a few hours of direct experience, but working side by side with Ladybug had given me a front row seat to its many uses.

By the fourth night, Cap was truly starting to be more like Mister Bug. It had been an uneventful patrol - fortunately - and I'd rewarded his efforts by taking him to the top of the Eiffel Tower and surprising him with Belgian chocolate croissants from the Dupain-Cheng bakery my bodyguard had allowed me to pick up on the way home from school.

"Extraordinary view," Cap said.

"Yes," I agreed. "We're quite fortunate, really." I turned to him and added, seriously, "Being Chat has freed me to experience things my civilian self could never do. It's why it means so much to me to be a Miraculous holder - not just the 'keep Paris safe' part. That's important, for sure." I looked out across the city again. "If I couldn't be Chat, I'd be trapped in an existence not of my own making."

"I had no idea," Cap said softly. "Dude… you must have a life outside of this?"

"Not really," I laughed ruefully. "And that's all I'm going to say about it. Now eat up! I've got to get home and I'm sure you do, too."

My hopes for completing our run without having to deal with Hawkmoth only lasted until the following day at school. Nino and I had been flying solo, as Marinette and Alya had gone to London the night before - Marinette to compete in a fashion show for aspiring designers, and Alya to cover it as a special student correspondent for the TV station. They were to be there through the afternoon and I was excited for both of them to experience life outside of Paris for a few days.

It was a bit odd not to have our usual foursome, though, and I'd been saying as much to Nino when my phone chirped out the tri-tone akuma alert. Groaning inwardly, I fell to the back of the group of students who started to huddle around Chloe's iPhone to watch Nadjia's breathless coverage of the latest attack on Paris. Once I was certain they were fully engrossed, I slipped out of the chemistry classroom and flew down the steps to the men's bathroom. Pulling open the door, I dashed in and started to lock myself into a stall when the door slammed open a second time.

Whirling, I saw Nino come running through, oblivious to me as he was looking over _his_ shoulder to ensure no one was behind him. That wasn't nearly as surprising as the fact he appeared to also be inserting a darkly-colored earring in one ear as he ran - a tricky proposition at best.

Realizing I couldn't transform I silently closed the door to the stall I was in and hopped on top of the toilet, and held my breath. With luck, he'd be in and out in a jiffy but to my horror, he swooped into the stall next to me and slammed the door shut with enough force to rattle the superstructure.

"Frigging earrings!" he hissed loudly, followed by a string of epithets.

A tiny but recognizable voice floated out of the space. "Calm down, Nino," it said sweetly. "We've got this under control. Chat will join you as soon as you get out there."

My jaw dropped, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying not to laugh too hard. For I had heard that sweet, soft, supportive voice myself when Tikki had unexpectedly become my kwami for a short bit.

"What if I mess up — damn it!" he cried. "There, got it. I mean, I've not really done this—"

"You'll be fine. You're a member of the team. Chat will guide you every step of the way."

"I hope so," he said, then finished nervously with: 'Tikki - spots on!"

There was a blinding flash of red light, and a split second later, the door to the stall next to me opened and I heard padded feet running to the open window. The telltale zing of the yo-yo informed me my partner was off to the races, so I quickly transformed myself and hurled my feline body out into the mid-afternoon sun.

Prudently, I chose a slightly different path and caught up with Nino — I mean, Carapace — oh, hell, Mister Bug — as he waited for me atop a half-wall at the Trocadero. Putting aside how frequently we seemed to fight akumas there, I leaned against my staff. "Well, time to put that training to the test," I smiled.

His eyes were wide, and the panic was coming off him in waves. "Chat—"

"So, step one," I said calmly. "Generally, I wander over to the akuma and get them rather wound up. Sometimes that involves me getting pummeled, but to be honest, it's the only time I get a _cat_ptive audience for my puns."

"Chat—" he tried again, swallowing hard.

"That leads to step two. While I get my kitty butt handed to me for a bit, you'll be up there on that rooftop, watching."

"Watching?"

"Exactly," I nodded. "You need to see the lay of the land, as it were, so you'll know what to call for when you use Lucky Charm."

"Lucky charm?" he repeated.

"Nino - no!" I cried as I held out a paw in warning, but I was a moment too late, for the sky above him burst into light and a polka-dotted DJ stand dropped out of nowhere to land next to him.

I put a paw to my face. "Well," I laughed. "It's not the _strangest_ one I've ever seen." I looked up at him and smiled. "All right, let's just skip to step ten then."

"Chat," Mister Bug said softly. "You… you called me… I mean, you know..."

"We'll deal with that later," I said.

"But—"

"_Later_," I said firmly. "Now, quickly, look around! Your Lucky Vision has been activated, and it should light up on anything you can use with the Charm."

"Okay," he said tentatively, and started to scan the plaza. I watched the akuma with a moderate amount of interest, for I was actually very worried about having accidentally revealed Nino. Ladybug was going to kill me.

Then I realized it was just the two of us, and I _was _the Black Cat. I smiled slyly. _Well, what the bug doesn't know…_

"That…" Mister Bug said at last and not just a little tentatively.

I looked at what he was pointing at then back at him. "Uh… are you sure?" I asked, trying not to sound shocked.

"Yes," he said. This time was firmer.

I looked again and started to calculate an intercept course for the city bus in question. "And once we have it?"

"You've driven one of those, right?"

"Just the one time," I said, knowing he'd been on it with me.

"Park it under the Tower. I'll meet you there." And with that, he was off in true Ladybug fashion.

"Don't bury yourself in the part!" I yelled after him as I leaped up and toward the speeding bus. It figures that _now_ he'd embrace it after days of dithering.

I landed atop the bus and popped open one of the emergency hatches, slid through and landed just behind the driver. To her credit she didn't miss a beat and kept right on driving. "I need to borrow this, ma'am," I said apologetically. "Can you pull over there and let everyone off?"

"On it," she said and smoothly pulled to the curb.

A few moments later, I was behind the wheel and finding the second time around was no easier than the first. I'd grown a little, so the pedals were easier, but the ride over the curb and across the plaza toward the Tower was a bit rough.

Screeching to a halt, I bounded out the door and flipped up to the roof. Mister Bug dropped off from where he'd been waiting on the tower and landed next to me before carefully powered up the equipment.

"Just to remind you," I said helpfully, "this is usually the part where Ladybug tells me what to do."

"That might be a problem," he laughed. "For I've not got a clue. I think I'm supposed to play this."

I looked at him. "The plans are usually complicated," I said. "And the Charms aren't always the most obvious use, either."

"Well… this is definitely the spot—-whoa! Now your tail is lighting up."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course it is," I laughed as I unbuckled it and handed it to him.

"I see now…" he mumbled excitedly. "Chat, the akuma is underneath that massive band leader hat it's wearing." He made two loops in my tail, and hooked one end to his turntable and kept the second loop in his hand. "Get it close to me and I'll pull the hat off. You'll need to Cataclysm whatever is below."

"On it," I replied and leapt over the side of the bus. Landing on all fours, I loped cat-like across the paved stones towed the earstwhile marching band conductor that seemed to be our akuma du jour.

"Cat touch this, uh huh uh huh," I laughed as I ran a circle around him. "Too eighties?" I asked as I leapt over him and tapped him on the shoulder as I did so.

The response came in the form of a massive whack to my back as I was landing from the twirling baton I thought I'd avoided. The blow sent me sliding across the granite, but I turned it into a roll and did a round-off back into a partial crouch facing him.

Claws out, I might add.

"Hard rock, then?" I teased before quickly snapping my baton in half and sailing both parts toward the akuma. One hit true and knocked the conductor's baton out of his hand; the other, just a glancing blow off his shoulder.

Leaping sideways, I held up my paws to retrieve the pieces as they returned and quickly snapped them together before extended it to swat away the akuma's hand weapon. "Maybe I have this wrong," I said as I rode up into the air on the baton. "You're more of a drum major, aren't you?"

Landing on the far side of the creature, I loped toward the bus and Cara-I mean, Mister Bug, heckling the akuma as it lumbered behind me. I was a bit surprised at how quiet it was being, which made me very nervous. It turned out to be with good reason - as I bore down on the bus, a legion of snare drums with cute little legs started to round the walls of the terrace, funneling toward the bus and a now wide-eyed Mister Bug.

"Chat!" he yelled. "Step it up!"

I kicked it into a higher gear, and amazingly, the akuma did, too. It took a fraction of a second for me to realize the lumbering aspect had been designed to separate the two of us; that was confirmed when I had to skid to a stop to avoid becoming an unwilling part of the parade that had encircled the bus.

"We are _not_ telling Ladybug about this," I yelled back as I leapt into the air and helicoptered toward the bus; I didn't have enough of an arc and hit the side of the bus instead of a more graceful landing beside my partner. I drove my claws into the side of the vehicle, screeching myself to a halt before pulling myself up to the roof.

"Not one of your better landings," Mister Bug laughed.

"Everyone's a critic," I said, eyes narrowed as I turned back to see that our akuma was cagily staying away from the bus. "We need a new plan. Anything else popping up?"

"No," Mister Bug said. "And my earrings are chirping."

I swore under my breath. This was not going well at all. I scanned the roof and leaned down to open the emergency entrance I'd used earlier. "Get in and de-transform. I'll hold them off while you feed your kwami."

"Feed?" he said, and his face went white. "I… I don't…"

My masked eyes flew wide. "Seriously?" I said, shocked for a moment. My head swiveled around and found there was no easy way out of the plaza in the limited time we had; my frantic eyes hit on the emergency exit I'd already opened. Sighing deeply and wondering if this was going to be my last outing as Chat Noir, I shoved Mister Bug into the skylight and leapt down behind him.

I hustled him to the rear of the bus and what little protection we had with the engine block. "Don't you carry anything to feed Wayzz?" I hissed as I pressed him in the semi-darkness. "This isn't your first rodeo."

"I… I-"

I whirled on him. "You're about to de-transform. I will do the same; I have extra cheese for Plagg. It will have to do. Tikki will not be happy."

"Chat!" he started, but the final beeps from the earrings chirped and the red wave rolled over him, revealing a very upset Nino. "I'm sorry," he said as Tikki floated up to me.

Ignoring my best friend for a moment, I turned to Tikki. "I have cheese, but I will have to detransform," I said, and inclined my mane toward the noise outside the bus. "We don't have a ton of options unless you have some way to shield my identity from him."

Tikki shook her head, sadly. "I'm sorry, Chat. Even if I had a way, I'd need to eat before I could do anything."

"This is it, then," I said, my voice heavy. "We'll both be done after this."

Tikki nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so," she said.

I took a moment and stepped to the side of the bus, pressing my paw against the window. The day had started so well, too. Sighing deeply, I said quietly: "Plagg - claws in."

The green flash enveloped me and Nino's sudden intake of breath confirmed my doom. I whirled on him again, stepping toward him as I fished the cheese out of my pocket. "Here," I said to Tikki, my eyes on Nino.

"Thank you," Tikki's melodic voice sang out. She and Plagg floated to the far end of the bus and left the two of us alone.

"I'm sorry," Nino said, eyes wide. "I've ruined-"

"You've done _nothing_," I said, trying for a smile. I knew I needed to tamp down my anger and instead pump up his confidence. "I've had a good run. Now, let's see if we can't get out of this in one piece, shall we?"

Nino nodded.

"You're my best friend, Nino," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. "You will be long after all of this is over."

"But you are Chat!" he said softly. "Alya has told me repeatedly that she suspected whoever was under the mask experienced more freedom as Chat than their alter-ego might enjoy." His eyes caught mine. "Now I know why. I'm so sorry! What best friend takes that away from someone?"

The sadness in his eyes was hard to see; and it wasn't really his fault. I was the one in charge, so it was really my fault for not making sure he was fully prepared. I pulled out my best Model Smile. "I am Chat whether I have the mask or not, Nino. To be honest, this is the first time I've actually admitted that to myself." I gave him the best sly Chat smile I had. "Just wait until I trot it out at school now."

Nino smiled, finally. "That I would like to see."

"You will," I said. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Tikki and Plagg floated back toward us and we re-transformed; it wasn't a moment too soon, for just as we launched ourselves out of the emergency exit and back to the roof, the drum core had wrapped themselves so tightly around the exterior of the bus they'd begun to crush it like an empty soda can.

I grabbed Nino and left away, extending the baton enough to pole vault to the relative safety of a crossbeam on the Tower. Landing in a crouch, I kept my eyes on the drum core as they abandoned the bus and started to climb the Tower toward us.

"I'm open to ideas," I said merrily. "Especially if it means beating the old drum."

"How can you be so jolly?" Nino asked. "This is your last outing as Chat and the situation looks a bit grim!"

"We're going to get out of this," I said. "I'm thinking I'll swoop down and Cataclysm the hell out of whatever is under that hat. But I don't think I can knock the hat off _and _do Cataclysm in one move."

"No…" Nino said as he got that faraway look Ladybug wore when Lucky Vision was working.

"Tell me."

"I will," he smiled at me, "but first, I need your tail and what I hope I am going to get as a Lucky Charm."

I rolled my eyes as I unbuckled my belt. "I spend more time taking this off…"

A few moments later, Nino was suspended below me from the crossbeam, one arm holding his yo-yo, the other, my belt. The belt had been wrapped around a gigantic fan that was rapidly coming up to speed. Deftly, Nino twisted to point it at the akuma who had conveniently taken up position below us. "Now, Chat," he said.

"Cataclysm!" I cried, then took a deep breath before swan diving off of the tower. My powered-up paw was stretched in front of me, the other held my baton, ready to trigger it so I could land safely.

The fan did it's thing, coming up to full-gale-force mode and blew the tall band conductor hat off. A whistle, glowing slightly, sat in a small nest of hair. Extending my baton, I drove it into the ground then twisted around it, tapping the whistle gently with my claw tip as I vaulted just out of reach of the akuma.

Landing on all fours, I flipped around and watched as the purple wave washed over the akuma and the butterfly tried to get away. Nino's voice rang out clear. "Oh, _hell_ no!"

Dropping down to the stone below, he set down the fan and with a _ziiing,_ nailed the butterfly with the yo-yo on his first try, proving that at least one part of our prepwork had proven helpful. Flipping the fan into the air, he finished off with a flourish by calling on the Miraculous Cure, righting the world but still leaving us with a major problem.

Regrouping on a nearby rooftop, there was no need for us to scurry away before losing our transformations. Still, it felt wrong talking to him as Adrien. "Go feed Tikki and meet me at our usual spot after school," I said. "We'll talk tonight."

Mister Bug nodded and zipped away, earrings chirping in his wake. I paused for a beat and then took a separate route back to Dupont, where the two of us quietly slipped into the library for study hall. We'd barely settled in when a movement at the clerestory window caught my eye.

Wayzz's eyes were focused on Nino, and he was waving, attempting to get his attention. I snapped my eyes back to my desk and then looked deeply at my tablet. His appearance could only mean that Nino was being recalled - and that Ladybug was back in town.

I hadn't expected the recall so soon, and suddenly felt my world spinning. Closing my eyes for a moment, I centered myself and then said, quietly, "Nino."

"Yeah?"

"Don't look now, but there is a green kwami trying to get your attention. I think he wants you on the roof _now_," I whispered.

Nino paused then flicked a glance to the window. "Damn."

"You go first, I'll follow once I know you've transformed."

"Adrien, you can't appear!" he hissed quietly. "He'll know you've figured out my identity!"

"Have faith," I said slyly. "I am the black cat of mystery after all. Play along with me."

"Okay," he said. Quickly, he grabbed his bags and then headed out. I waited a few moments and did the same; by the time I hit the restroom for the second time that morning, Nino had already vacated.

"Plagg - claws out!" I whispered as I ran to the window, transforming into Chat just as I dove through the opening.

I flipped up and crawled over the stonework, curling around the roof edge and landing in a crouch. Wayzz was wearing an inscrutable expression.

"Wayzz," I said from my crouch. My eyes flicked to Nino. "Mister Bug. I had no idea you went to this school."

"Uh… I don't," he said, eyes flicking to Wayzz. "I was in the area and this was a convenient place to meet Wayzz."

"Convenient," I smirked, standing and moving to Nino. "_Very_ convenient."

"Chat…" Nino started to say and then saw the wink. He changed tactics. "Why are _you_ here? Do you go to Dupont?"

"Nope," I leaned against my baton, smiling my sly Chat smile. "Wayzz, what's up? We never talk."

"Chat Noir," he said formally. "It _is _good to see you, but I really need to talk to Mister Bug. Alone."

"Oh my God!" I swooned. "Does that mean Milady is back in town?"

Wayzz smiled. "Yes. I need to return her Miraculous to her."

"Of course," I said, shortening my baton and moving to the edge. "Tell LB I'll meet her in our usual spot?"

"I will," he said formally.

I saluted and vaulted into the blue sky and hid several buildings over for a bit before sneaking back to the library and rejoining Nino at our table. "Did you say anything?" I whispered.

"He didn't ask," he smiled. "But what are we gonna do? Ladybug is-"

"Hey guys!" Alya cried as she and Marinette appeared in the library. The duo came over to us, and as Marinette turned to say hello to Nino, I suddenly realized how similar her pigtails were to Ladybug - and then caught sight of the earrings she wore.

Darkly-colored earrings. Just like what Nino had been frantically trying to put on.

I found myself smiling.

"Nino," I said, "I don't think we have a thing to worry about."

"No?" he said, looking at me quizzically.

"Meowt in the least." My eyes caught Marinette's, and I saw a question in them. "How was London, Mari?"

"Fine," she said, still uncertain. "Though we didn't see much of it."

"No?" I said innocently. "Figures. You can sure get _fox_ated on fashion," I added, glancing at Alya who turned white.

Nino stifled a chuckle, confirming what I had long suspected. My eyes connected with Marinette's, who was looking between the three of us, panic beginning to color her face.

Slowly, very slowly, I ran my hands through my hair, freeing it from the bonds of the hair products I'd used to make it perfect that morning. With a few deft movements, it quickly became evocative of a certain feline superhero.

Marinette gasped. "Kitty…?"

"In the fur, Milady." I said. "Look, we need to tell you something…"


	3. Eye of the Tiger

_Author's Note (CM): OK… this is absolute crack and way OOC and I know it, but I got the thought in my head and it cracked me up, and, well, you get stuck with this. Sorry guys. _

_Ep: I'm totally cracked up. The #$ & song has been stuck in my head for weeks now, thanks to this story. And I now want to watch _Spider-Man_, thank you very much._

_CM: Every time it comes on the radio I start giggling. People are starting to think I'm crazy…_

_Ep: Starting to?_

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette Dupain-Cheng_

* * *

Nathaniel Kurtzberg was naturally a quiet soul. That didn't mean his feelings were not as strong as anyone else's, just that he kept them hidden below the surface. Like much of Paris, he admired the miraculous wielders, the group who were protecting Paris from Hawkmoth, and his admiration was strongest for Ladybug herself. Early on in Hawkmoth's reign of terror, Nathaniel himself had been akumatized, when the bully in his class had exposed his crush to everyone. He's always been proud of his art, and to have it used against him brought his emotions to the tipping point, allowing Hawkmoth to use him for vile purposes.

Sometimes he was thankful for being easily overlooked. He had been sketching at the Trocadero one day, a fanciful sketch that had Ladybug flying past the Eiffel Tower, when an akuma had burst onto the scene. Despite his brightly colored hair, he was able to slip away, avoiding the gaze and the beams the akuma was shooting. He hadn't gone far when he heard the zip of a yo-yo, and Ladybug arrived on the scene. Her movements were swift and sure, and rather than fleeing the area, like he had originally planned to, he secreted himself away, staying to watch.

Chat Noir arrived on the scene a few minutes later, and the fight commenced in earnest. Ladybug called for her Lucky Charm, and Nathaniel was surprised to see a miniature gong drop into her hands. Looking at it, both heroes nodded, and Ladybug swung off. Chat continued to fight in a more "taunt and avoid" mode than before, killing time until Ladybug returned.

He was so engrossed in the fight that he let out a little shriek when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Whirling around, he saw Ladybug standing there holding our a hexagonal black box with an intricate red design on the top. Nathaniel dropped his phone in surprise. "Ladybug?"

Smiling gently, she held out the box towards him."Nathaniel Kurtzberg, this is the Miraculous of the Tiger, with the power of Psychic Storm. You will use it for the greater good. Once the job is done, you will return the miraculous to me. Can I trust you?"

A little stunned, Nathaniel reached for the box, and opened it. A magenta being appeared in a flash of light and zipped around, studying him. Another squeal escapeed from the boy, as the kwami hovered a foot from his face. "Hello! My name is Roaar."

Nathaniel looked back and forth between the kwami and the odd links of metal in the box, before looking questioningly at Ladybug."It's a Panjas bracelet. The big loop goes around your wrist, and the smaller ones over your fingers, leaving the oval covering the back of your hand."

She helped Nathaniel put the bracelet on, and he was admiring the bracelet as Roaar started to explain the power of Psychic Storm, and his telekinetic abilities.

He was interrupted by a thud and a cry of pain from the fight. Ladybug's head snapped around, and she looked back at Nathaniel. "I'll let Roarr explain. I need to get back out there." With a nod, Ladybug threw out her yo-yo and was gone.

Nathaniel and Roaar looked at each other, as the kwami explained to the boy about the countdown after using his ability and also the transformation phrases. The sounds of the fight filtered back to them, and it sounded like Chat Noir was recovered and fighting by Ladybug's side. Nathaniel called out his transformation phrase, and felt a wave of power and confidence wash over him.

His body was covered in a deep orange, skin tight, leather protective suit, and he grew ears that twitched and were colored a few shades darker than his orange and black striped hair. A mask, black outlined in orange and black mid-calf motorcycle boots completed the outfit. Dark grey stripes ghosted across his back, and the black belt-tail was reminiscent of Chat Noir's.

Grinning to himself, the newly minted tiger hero leaned over and picked up his phone from where it had been forgotten on the ground. He grinned as he queued up a song, Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' and strode confidently into the plaza as the music started blaring. Chat Noir's head snapped up and he started to laugh.

The song attracted the attention of the akuma, who turned to appraise the newcomer strutting towards her across the plaza. Raising the hair dryer she'd been using as a weapon she started to shoot at the tiger hero. With a cry of "Psychic Storm", Byakko raised his hand, and made a snatching motion, causing the hair dryer to leap out of the akuma's hand and drop at Ladybug's feet.

A crack appeared along the casing of the hairdryer and a deep purple butterfly popped out. Throwing a grin to Byakko, she caught the butterfly, cleansing it, and releasing it into the sky, before resetting the city back to normal.

After a 3 way fistbump followed by a pat on the back from Chat, Ladybug lead Byakko to a secluded area, where he transformed back into Nathaniel. "Thank you so much for trusting me, Ladybug." He started pulling the the rings off his fingers before grinning up at her. "That was amazing!" He crowed, handing the miraculous back to Ladybug.

Patting his shoulder, she winked at him. "You did great, Nathaniel. That was an amazing move, and I appreciate you bringing your own music." Blushing deeply, Nathaniel muttered something that she couldn't quite catch, Roaar's over the top confidence having vanished. "Don't worry, I'm nothing like this in real life, either." With a wave, she swung off over the city, and quickly disappeared from view.

A few days later, Nathaniel was sitting in Miss Bustier's class, nervously flipping through his note cards as he waited for his turn to give the oral part of their research project. His hands were shaking, as he hated getting up and speaking in front of the class. The project was on "a person in the news", and it had been his good luck that he'd been assigned Ladybug.

He heard Miss Bustier call his name, and he stood, shakily, and made his way to the front of the room. A hand on his left arm stopped him next to the second row, and he turned to Marinette. She smiled at him and said told him not to worry, that he would do great. He nodded and was turning back to the front of the room, when he heard her whisper, "Go get 'em, Tiger."

He caught her wink out the corner of his eye and almost fell down the rest of the stairs. He stood at the front of the room, blinking, a blush creeping up his neck. He cleared his throat a couple of times, looking at Marinette, around to the rest of the class, then back to Marinette. Finally he managed to croak out, "Ladybug?", blushed even harder, and fled the room before he could say anything else.


	4. A Kiss Goodbye

_Author's Note: Today's story is brought to you by Dearest Mr. Icarus. And the number 1. (It really is the loneliest number, although 2 can be as bad as one) _

_Ep: (sobbing) This is just… amazingly beautiful! I've re-read it so many times now, I've run out of Kleenex - anyone have a box they can spare?_

_MR: Hands over a roll of toilet paper. Sorry. Not that fancy._

* * *

_Revealed: Adrien_

* * *

Thuthump! Thuthump!

They had just beaten an oversized bunny rabbit, and now it was time for Chat to tell her… but why did he feel so nervous? He had confessed his love for her a million times before, and that should've been more embarrassing than what he was about to do.

"Hey, Ladybug, if you have a minute, can we talk. Believe it or not, it's actually important," Chat chattered, fighting off nervous trembling.

She looked at his ring, then recalled he hadn't used his ability this fight. Ladybug walked towards an alley, motioning for him to follow.

"Just let me feed Tikki first, then we can talk," she told him.

Chat turned around and heard her disengage her hero mode. A temptation slipped into his mind to turn around. As if Ladybug could read his mind, she warned him.

"Chat, by the way if you turn around, your new love won't be a girl, it'll be the morphine drip at the hospital."

The empty threat made Chat chuckle. Of course Ladybug wouldn't hurt him, but it was a reminder that their identities were important, not trivial bits of information to trade over morning coffee.

"Tikki, Spots on!"

Chat turned around to see his crush standing next to him. "Ok, Chat, what's up?"

He froze up. He couldn't do it. No, he had to. Chat knew that this was important.

"Well, I just needed to tell you sorry."

Ladybug's nose wrinkled into a frown?

"Why did you betray us to Hawkmoth?" she teased nervously.

Chat laughed and took a deep breath. "No way. It's about my flirting. I've loved you since shortly after we met, and over the last four years, I've let you know that at every opportunity. And every time, you tried to let me down gently. But I realized that I should have just taken no for an answer in the beginning. Well, maybe not the very beginning, but a long time ago. So… I can't promise that I won't flirt anymore, and I'm definitely keeping the puns, but from now on I won't confess my undying love, kiss your hand, or call you pet names. You have my word."

Ladybug stood in shocked awe, unsure how to respond. Finally she spoke.

"Wow, that means a lot Chat. I really do value your friendship. I'm just curious, what caused this change of heart?"

A sad smile spread across Chat's face. "A bit of a change of perspective Mil- Ladybug. I have a friend who is totally in love with me. I didn't realize it, but her feelings for me parallel how I feel about you a bit. She puts effort into something that isn't going to happen, and sees my kindness and friendship as signs to continue pursuit."

Ladybug replied to his somber smile with one of her own. Besides Chat's relationship with Ladybug, this girl sounded like her, as Marinette, with Adrien. She couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for both Chat and his mystery girl.

"And you don't have any interest in her?" Ladybug questioned.

"Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't. But it isn't right. It's another one of those comparisons to us that made me realize it wouldn't work. How I feel about you isn't the right way to feel in love Ladybug. Ugh… that's a mess. I mean, um… well. I love you, but imagine if we started dating? I would worship you. You could do no wrong. It wouldn't be healthy, and it took seeing how someone else felt about me to realize that."

A sigh escaped Ladybug's lips. She tried to convince herself that her feelings for Adrien weren't like that.

"So, this girl. You're sure she is totally starry eyed? Maybe she is more reasonable than you think."

Chat laughed, a pained and heartbroken chuckle. "Yes. Her room is covered with my pictures. She knows my schedule and what I am doing every hour of every day. She can't even talk straight around me. I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's as creepy as some people would make it out to be, and I totally love Marinette, but I want her to find a guy that helps her build herself up, you kno…"

Chat looked up in surprise at Ladybug, who had broken down in tears. After a moment of confused staring, he grabbed her into a hug. "Sorry, Ladybug, if I said something wrong, let me know. I didn't mean to hurt you."

His supercrush looked at him with teary blue eyes and shook her head. "No, all you did was tell the truth. I just wish I could have changed things. I-I wish I could…"

She kissed Chat, catching him off guard. After a moment, his lips melted into hers, a warm and emotional moment was shared. In a kiss that neither of them wanted to end, they caressed one another's faces, held each other, and cried. When they broke apart, Chat looked at her in confusion.

"What exactly was that?"

"Just the goodbye both of us needed Chat. The boy I love doesn't feel the way I do either. We both need to move on from these unrequited feelings. We need to find people who will love us. And one day, we'll both find that person."

Chat smiled, his heart still breaking. "Well, until I find that girl, I'm glad I have a friend like you."


	5. Grounded

_Author's note: MR Here. I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that LYRA MAE ARCHER is to blame for this chapter. This needs to be clear from the start..._

_MR: Well, that's a cheerful Christmas story. Why can't you only write fluffy, uplifting stuff, like me? *sobs quietly* But it is so fantastic..._

_Lyra: Uh. Sorry. …. (No, I'm not.)_

_Ic: MR, you say "fluffy uplifting stuff, like me", but you're also the type of person to kill a character for looking at you the wrong way. *suddenly feels myself die in some fictional universe*_

_MR: Actually I usually only kill Ladybug..._

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette, Adrien, Gabriel, and Nathalie_

* * *

He could hear it first. A soft din at the end of a long hallway, creeping ever slowly closer. A cacophony of sound that made it impossible to decipher, grating at his ears. He winced slightly, his brow creasing. Through the noise he heard a clear voice yell, "He moved!" and the sudden loudness tore through his haze.

He wanted to cover his ears.

Why did his body feel like cement, frozen and too heavy to move?

Frustrated, he listened again. The sound of ragged breath rattling. His heart beats thumping erratically, weakly. Glass crunching under feet.

Why couldn't he move?

Then, all at once, his senses came flooding back. Hands were on his body, holding him down, pushing with desperation. The metal taste of copper filled his mouth, his tongue thick. A pool of warmth beneath him, soaking his clothes across his back. Voices yelling commands and a distant wail of sirens. Pressure in his chest making it hard to breathe.

He tried to open his eyes, despite their attempt to feel as heavy as marble. Just a small crack. Above him was blue. The sky? He couldn't tell. It was too bright. Too bright. Blinded, he slammed his eyes shut and didn't try again. Listening was easier.

When the pain hit, he wasn't ready. It shot through him like a tidal wave with no start and no end. It surged through his body and he wanted to scream. A small, weak moan escaped his dry lips.

Soft hands cradled his head gently. A small voice, close to his ears, murmured his name, speaking words of calm and comfort.

The wave washed across him again and another sound escaped him. He managed to open his eyes slightly and this time he knew he saw blue. Blue eyes. Piercing to his soul. Filled with worry and sorrow. His brain scrambled to put the pieces together, but it was impossible. It was too much to bear.

He could feel himself slipping then– the pain fading, his senses giving way, his eyes filling with darkness. And then...blissful silence.

Beeping. Beeping was driving him crazy. It was loud, incessant, rattling around his brain like echoes off a cavern wall. A soft groan escaped his lips, parched and ragged. A gasp and rustle nearby, a breathing of his name spoken in almost disbelief. He wanted to answer, his brain fighting to the surface but a heavy blanket pinned him down, pulling him under again.

It was mostly dark when he managed to open his eyes, blinking at the soft light in the corner of the room. The room was stark. Unfamiliar. Pressure against one arm made him glance down his body to find someone clutching at his hand, using his arm as a pillow for their dark haired head. His other arm was pincushioned with tubes. Confusion filled him as he tried to piece everything together.

Rushes of memories scrambled into his mind's eye - his father's desperate grey eyes, his mother encased in glass, the whizz of a yo-yo, screaming and bruising and the rush of butterfly wings. A nearly crushing sense of despair. He could almost feel the cold jewel of purple against his palm as he had torn it from his father's throat. Ladybug!

He jolted slightly, panic filling his chest as he remembered her screech of agony. From there it was a blur. Was she ok? Why was he here?

The monitor beeped in warning of his erratic and anxiety-driven heart beat.

"Adrien. Adrien, calm down. It's ok. Shh." His eyes snapped to the face of the one who had been resting against him, her voice calm and soothing to his ears.

Marinette.

Her hand touched his cheek in a gentle caress as she leaned in closer. Blue eyes filled his vision.

"Breathe for me, kitty. Just breathe."

He breathed. Or maybe he didn't - he couldn't tell as his brain crashed and broke, focusing only on blue through the frustrating blur of tears. Faces merged together - two into one as he realized he knew. His lady. Marinette was his lady. His.

"Milady," he breathed, his voice raw and broken, reaching for her hand, for anything to ground himself. She smiled & his heart stuttered painfully.

"Hi, Kitty."

He was tired. So tired. He tried to force his eyes to stay open, to stay with her, to ask a million questions but it was hopeless, as sleep dragged him away.

She was there. She was always there. Every time he could open his eyes. Every time he needed her, she pressed her hand in his. Every time a nurse came in. Every time. He didn't care that he stared until she blushed. He didn't care at all.

She answered his sluggish questions with simple answers, helping him understand what had happened. Hawkmoth had been tough - teamed with Mayura they were incredibly strong. Somehow, as always, Ladybug (Marinette!) and he had managed to rid them of their miraculous, rendering the villains helpless. Or so they thought.

Nathalie had caught Ladybug (Marinette!) unaware, knocking his lady to the ground with a painful screech. Which had distracted Chat long enough for Gabriel to make his move, a violent lunge for the ring. The momentum had thrown Chat off balance, knocking him off the rooftop they had been fighting on. Blurry sensations of falling, of landing, of agony and darkness.

Chat had become Adrien and Ladybug had become frantic to save him. Ladybug. His Marinette.

Gabriel had lost his remaining grip of sanity watching his son die on the pavement below and had collapsed unconscious in Natalie's arms. He was awake now, rambling in ranting incoherence, held in detention for a trial. Nathalie too. And as for his mother… she was gone. Truly gone. Adrien didn't know how to mourn someone he had already lost long ago.

His body healed while his mind struggled to balance the whirling emotions of chaos he felt on the inside. And so he stared at Marinette in hopes of holding onto sanity and calm just a little longer. Of not falling off another edge and tumbling into the abyss.

The ring on his finger was a reminder that he was destruction. Destroyed from the inside. But she was creation, stitching him back together in ways he could never understand.

And finally, he was whole again, his feet beneath him as he passed through the hospital doors and into brilliant sunlight. Her smile was more radiant. His heart more full. Because that is what love is like. Love that was always destined to be. His Marinette. His Ladybug.


	6. Parenting

_Author's Note: Chat gets some unexpected news from Ladybug that changes his life forever. -ep_

_MR: He's won the lottery?_

_Ep: That's not quite-_

_Lyra: She's leaving him for Luka._

_Ep: What? Wait, no-_

_MR: Lyra… I'm so proud! *wipes away a tear* _

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette and Adrien_

* * *

It had been years since I'd blindly flown through the Parisian night, trying to chase away my demons and wrestle my emotions back under control. But tonight was unlike any other, and I soared over rooftops in an attempt to escape what I had just been told. Somehow, as childish as the notion was, I felt as though if I ran _far_ enough, _fast_ enough, I could avoid the truth.

Slowly, I gave myself over to the regular rhythm of running, leaping and helicoptering my way across the rooftops of the City of Lights. The steady beat of my boots across the tile gave some comfort to my conflicting emotions; muscle memory propelled me through the landmarks we'd visited so often over the years, we both knew which nook or cranny we could sneak into and remain unobserved by our fellow Parisians. And, of course, which slanted tile rooftops provided the best views of those lovely rosy-periwinkle sunsets she loved or the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower that I couldn't get enough of.

I took a deep, ragged breath and realized tears had been streaming down my face for the past few kilometers, blurring my feline vision despite the manic blinking. Bowing to the wisdom of needing to see where I was going, I dropped onto a random rooftop with a rubbery thump and stayed in my cat-crouch. I was alone, for the first time in years; it was not something I was going to adjust to easily.

Leaping to the edge of the roof, I perched atop the brickwork and stared out across the city. Surprisingly, I'd managed to pick a building that had a view across to my old high school; turning slightly, I could see the Bakery, still open and accepting customers even at this late hour. That brought a smile to my face, for so many wonderful memories had taken place on that rooftop balcony - first as Chat, and then, later, when the time had been right, as Adrien. I wondered if I could still pop in on Tom and beg for pastries just like the old days, and decided that tonight, of all nights, might not be the best timing.

Drained emotionally, I just sat there, staring at the Bakery, and then the high school. Sliding the baton out from the small of my back, I realized it was getting late and that I would soon be missed. Taking one more look at places that evoked so many strong memories, I extended my baton and leapt back into the night.

I landed on the rooftop of the three-story townhouse I called home. Unsurprisingly, it had a very Bakery-like patio which my wife had carefully populated with potted plants and _two_ chaise lounges; unlike the original, though, this one had a proper door leading to the master bedroom.

Smiling, I didn't immediately transform and instead went to the railing facing the river. The view was not quite the same, but it was still beautiful, and I leaned on my paws to take an extra moment to center myself before returning to my civilian self. Taking a deep breath, I said quietly, "Plagg - claws in."

The wave of de-transformation washed over me, and I turned to enter the bedroom only to find Marinette standing in the doorway, mouth agape. Instantly, I realized in my distracted mental state, I'd forgotten to clear the rooftop - and she now knew _exactly_ who she had married.

"Adrien?" she said carefully as she took a tentative step onto the balcony. "You're… you're…"

"Chat Noir," I acknowledged as I took her into my arms. "Surprise."

"My God!" she cried out. "All this time?"

I nodded. "But now that you know, I'll have to give it up," I said sadly. "It's the one rule we've long observed." I hugged her. "I suppose it's okay. I received difficult news today that makes me wonder if I even want to _be_ Chat any longer."

"You did?" Marinette asked, looking at me with concern. "Maybe I can cheer you up, then. I have my own news - good news, I think."

"Really?"

"Yes. You go first."

"All right." I took her by the hand and we walked back to the railing. "I found out today I've lost my partner."

"_What_? Ladybug? Is she hurt?"

"No," I laughed. "It's for the best possible reason. She's pregnant." I looked to my wife, tears in my eyes. "I'm so happy for her; I can't blame her for giving up something she loves for something that she loves even _more_."

I looked back to the river. "I've known for a while now she had someone in her life, finally," I said softly. "Just like me. I never asked, but I knew she was so very, very happy with him. And that's all that matters, really." I paused. "And now she's starting a family."

My wife remained silent as I mused. "She's decided to give up her Miraculous - to relinquish being Ladybug. So I'll never see her again after tonight; someone else will be chosen." I blinked back the tears again. "After so many years together, after seeing so much as a team, it was one of the hardest goodbyes I've ever had to make. I just can't imagine having anyone else by my side, protecting Paris."

I laughed ruefully. "It won't matter now, I suppose. Accidentally revealing myself to you saves me the trouble of breaking in a new partner." Sighing, I added very quietly, "They'll both probably be younger, anyway."

I turned back to Marinette, who I saw was softly crying. "Mari - what's wrong?"

"I had no idea how much your partner meant to you," she said quietly.

"She's not _you_," I said firmly, assuming she was thinking I was still in love with Ladybug. "I chose you, Marinette. A long time ago."

"I know," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "And I, you, kitty."

I smiled. "Ladybug calls me - used to call me - that all the time."

"I know," Marinette repeated, as she started to smile.

Feeling like I'd missed something, I decided to change subjects. "All right, there's my terrible news. Cheer me up, my beloved. What was your news?"

She leaned up into my ear and whispered, very quietly, "I'm having a kitten, Chat."


	7. Kidnapping

_Author's note: OK… so I just found out that this week is Gorilla Appreciation Week. And while I REALLY hate that he gets called that, I wanted to give him some love. Because who doesn't love the strong silent type… that actually cares about Adrien?_

_Lyra: Applauds with extreme enthusiasm._

_Ep: Hmm. I'm strong but _not _silent. Can I get my own week, too? "Epcot97 appreciation week" has a certain ring to it._

_MR: *nods* Definitely not silent. Maybe Later this month. I'll write a nice Lukanette story that week. _

_Ep: Oh… heh… on the other hand, then..._

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien_

* * *

Have you ever considered committing a crime? Doing something that you know is horribly wrong for all the right reasons. Well, I think they're the right reasons. Today, I kidnapped my boss' son.

My boss is this horrible excuse for a human. All he cares about is himself and his company. I've been with him long enough to see that the casual neglect he had for his child while his wife was alive has turned to outright abuse now that she is no longer around to temper his actions.

Poor kid is fourteen and was allowed to go to public school for the first time this year. It's really the only time he's been able to meet kids his age, if you don't count that Bourgeois brat. Which I don't. I mean, she was nice enough when they were little, but her parents did nothing to temper her spoiled nature, and now, I honestly don't think she can control herself.

Of course, all the good kids have been banned from entering the house, and I try to turn a blind eye to him visiting them as much as possible, whenever we can do it without getting caught; but the other day, I miscalculated, and the kid got in trouble. So did I, but who cares. Pretty sure nobody in that house actually knows my name, anyway.

I'd dropped Adrien off at the bakery to spend some time with that pigtailed girl he's always mooning after. He says she's just a friend, hell, I heard him tell her that he's in love with someone else, but if he's talking about that fencing girl, well… I mean, she's nice enough, and they understand each other, but he doesn't watch her the way he does the pigtailed girl.

Pigtail's parents are some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Her dad's a decent sized man who doesn't look like he's going to break, but Mom's a tiny thing, although I don't think she's nearly as delicate as she looks. Got a warrior spirit, that one. Anyway, so we were over there, I think they were playing video games, although they told me it was for a school project, and I didn't check Adrien over closely enough because he came home with chocolate on his shirt.

Nathalie, who I'm pretty sure is trying to get into the boss' pants and would do anything for him, reported the stain to the Lord of Fashion himself. His Royal Nastiness came down and in that cold, disapproving manner he has, knocked the poor kid's dinner on the floor and told him he'd had enough extra calories today.

Adrien just looked at the ground meekly and didn't argue. Having nothing left to eat, except that awful cheese he keeps in his bedroom for some reason, the kid just got up and walked to his room.

I followed him up, and I heard him mumbling to himself before I knocked on the door. I walked in, and he looked up guiltily, those green eyes of his shining a little brighter than usual.

I grabbed his duffle bag, emptied his sports stuff out of it, kicking it under the bed, and grabbed some clothes, shoving them in, indicating that he should put anything he wanted to take inside. He looked at me curiously, but didn't question it, and put a few items inside. I pointed at his backpack, and he picked that up as I grabbed a few wheels of cheese and tossed them in his duffel.

He looked alarmed, but I didn't have any cheese at home, and I wanted the kid to be comfortable. We could always buy more later.

I waved for him to follow me as we walked out to the garage, where I bundled him into my personal car, not any of the Agreste's ostentatious vehicles. We drove the little Citron out to my buddy's house. I've been looking after it for him while he's deployed again.

Adrien asked me what was going on, and I just waved him inside, so, trusting kid that he is, he just followed me in. Kidnapping accomplished. Now what do I do? Well, for tonight, I feed the boy.

I'd made some lasagna the other day, so I heated us each up a generous serving, along with some salad and garlic bread. I ushered him into the little kitchen table, and his eyes grew huge at the amount of food placed in front of him. He asked me what was going on, but I just motioned for him to eat. Honestly, I was terrified that Gabriel was going to show up at any moment and take Adrien back home and lock him up or something. I wanted to let Adrien know that he was safe here, and could come and go as he pleased, but didn't know how, except with food.

The boy cleaned his plate. Once he realized all that food was for him, he didn't stop eating until there was nothing left. I indicated the third of the pan that was left to see if he was still hungry. Adrien glanced at it longingly for a moment, then rubbed his stomach and shook his head. I had one of the Dupain-Cheng cakes that I'd break out later.

"Did you make all this?" He indicated his empty plate. I simply nodded. "Thank you. It was delicious."

I smiled at him and waved him into the living room, pointing at his backpack to ask if he had any homework he needed to finish. He pulled it out, and I put the game on the TV, volume low, so it wouldn't break his concentration. We'd been sitting that way for about half an hour, and I was contemplating getting the cake, when an announcement broke and footage of Ladybug fighting the akuma came on.

Adrien started to panic. I knew he had a little crush on the Bug, I think half of Paris did. I admired her abilities, but some sense told me she was way too young for me. He however was getting really worked up. He'd shoot little looks at me and then back at the TV, finally jumping up and telling me that he needed to use the restroom before running into one of the bedrooms.

I followed him in to guide him to where the actual bathroom was, when I saw a flash of green light, and suddenly Chat Noir was standing in front of me. My jaw dropped, and suddenly a lot of Adrien's disappearances made sense. I felt like a bit of an idiot for not noticing before, especially since I'm trained to notice things like that.

Chat's head turned to me, an absolutely terrified look on his face. He threw a "sorry" over his shoulder as he leapt out the window. I went back in to the living room to watch the fight on the TV. Much sooner than I expected, Chat arrived and between the two of them the akuma was swiftly defeated. I was surprised when Adrien emerged from the bedroom a quarter of an hour later.

He dropped down on the couch next to me, cradling his head in his hands. "Nobody was supposed to know. How am I going to tell Ladybug? She's gonna kill me!"

I patted his shoulder and got to my feet. Heading into the kitchen, I cut two large slices of chocolate cake, and brought them into the living room, handing one to Adrien. Ever polite, even in the middle of a nervous breakdown, he thanked me, and methodically started eating the cake. Grunting in response, I sat next to him, starting in on mine, and taking some time to think.

So, the kid was Chat Noir. That took his necessary caloric intake up a few thousand points. And his father was trying to starve him. I mentally patted myself on the back for doing the right thing, but wondered what on earth I was going to do next. I'd originally thought to just take him out of Paris, but knowing he was Chat Noir and needed here put shot to that idea.

Once he was finished eating, I took the plates back into the kitchen, putting them in the sink. I settled back into the chair in the living room, contemplating just how bad things must be for the kid that he had yet to ask me why I'd even brought him here.

"So. Chat Noir, huh?" I asked him. I'd always been terrible at small talk, but now I needed to ease him into the idea that I'd kidnapped him, but on learning his secret couldn't follow through with my plan and had absolutely no idea what to do now.

I didn't expect Adrien's head to snap up to look at me so quickly that he fell off the couch, his mouth hanging open. "It's alright kid. I'm not telling anyone. Especially not that pitiful excuse of a father of yours."

Adrien just sat there, making inarticulate noises, flapping his hands at me until I reached down and pulled him up off the floor, depositing him back on the couch. "Does kinda put a crimp in my plan. I was going to get you away from Paris, and leave you with a family that would care for you, treat you as you deserve to be treated."

I might have blushed slightly admitting that it was my sister's family, but it didn't matter. The boy was doing a mighty good beached fish impression. I wondered if I was going to need to get him medical help, when he finally started forming coherent sentences.

"Di-did you kidnap me so that you could feed me?" He asked incredulously. It sounded strange when he said it outloud, so I just nodded. His eyes looked awfully shiny, and I really hoped he wasn't going to cry. When he threw his arms as far around me as he could reach and hugged me, whispering "thank you", I wasn't really sure how to react, so I just patted his back.

He sat back, and looked me over, thinking hard. "And now you're talking to me? I've known you for years, and you only say a word when you find out that I'm Chat Noir?"

I shrugged. "I'm not allowed. It's in my contract. All muscle, no mouth. I figured kidnapping you breaks my contract, so I can talk to you now. Besides, I'm not on the job. Even if you are here."

He was silent for a few minutes, digesting all of that. "So, what do we do now. As nice as your sister sounds, I can't abandon Ladybug."

I nodded, and we sat in silence, thinking. "I think you should take me home." I quirked an eyebrow at him inquiringly (some habits are hard to break) and he continued. "I already feel more at home here with you than I ever have in that giant, silent house, and knowing that you are here for me helps."

Shifting uncomfortably, he didn't look up at his request. "Do you think you could cook for me some more? I mean, I'm always hungry, and my friend Marinette at school tries to feed me whenever she can, but that's what means the most." His eyes became misty again, and I nodded.

Making a conscious effort to not fall back into old habits, I voiced my next thoughts aloud. "Is that why you keep all that cheese in your room."

Laughing, he introduced me to Plagg, who was this black flying rat thing, that he said made him into Chat Noir, and who, in turn, he fed cheese to make him happy. We chatted for a long while, before I gave in and drove the boy back to the mansion, the creature making some rude comments about Adrien's father, which make him the best talking rat-thing I'd ever met.

We snuck Adrien back into his room by walking straight in through the front door and not seeing anyone. The next morning, when Adrien slid into the back seat of the car, he smiled at me. I winked at him in the rear-view mirror, and slid him a bag from the Dupain-Cheng bakery that I'd picked up on my way in to work. He opened it, and smiled at the cinnamon rolls.


	8. Dark Revelations

_Author's Note: DearestMrIcarus is responsible for this oh so cheerful tale, that is definitely NOT about vampires, thank you very much._

_Ep: You know, I thought maybe this was going to be a vampire story; seeing Chat with useful fangs could be interesting. Wasn't there a movie called Dark Revelations? _

_MR: Don't Cats have fangs, anyway?_

* * *

_Reveal: Gabriel_

* * *

Adrien felt his hands tremble as he walked home, the soft sound of his feet against the pavement acting as his only line to the real world.

"It's not my fault," he whispered.

Plagg, after making sure the coast was clear, emerged from his pocket; surprisingly he had left an almost uneaten piece of camembert in his hiding place.

"Adrien, we need to talk," he answered, surprisingly stern, though his face wore a worried expression.

"It's ok. I'm fine," Adrien responded subconsciously.

The Kwami hovered in front of Adrien's face, bringing him to an abrupt halt.

"Adrien, today you had to end someone's life. And not just anyone, but a close family friend," Plagg said, forcing the issue.

"I-I…wh didn't Viperion take us back? And why didn't 'Miraculous Ladybug' fix it?" His holder said in an almost accusatory manner.

A gentle sigh escaped Plagg's lips as the conversation headed right where he had tried to take it.

"Well, the first answer is simple, he hadn't set the counter yet. As for the other question… well, I asked myself that a few million years ago when I wiped out who knows how many species. From what I've been able to piece together, Cataclysm doesn't always affect living beings the way it does everyday objects. So when people die because of it, it tends to be permanent. Kid, listen, I'm s-"

Adrien interrupted him with a strangled protest.

"Why did- why didn't you tell me that before?" He howled, his voice cracking with emotion.

Plagg looked down, an invisible cloud of pain looming over him.

"Look Adrien, imagine having the deaths of millions of living things on your conscience. And knowing that you'll live forever to regret it. I wish I could tell you that the pain will go away, that the guilt will subside. But it won't, at least it hasn't for me for 65 million years. The difference is that if you hadn't done that all your hero friends would be dead, INCLUDING Ladybug. And no Ladybug, no Miraculous Ladybug, no restoration. Game over."

"But it wasn't right! Mayura's actions didn't forfeit her right to live."

Warm tears accompanied the statement.

"Listen kid, I could tell you you're wrong, that saving a handful of heroes was worth ending one villain's life. I could also tell you that you are 100% correct, that there was no perfect choice and that you'll have to find a way to live with what you did. But I think right now you should call Ladybug, listen to what she has to say," the black Kwami reasoned.

Adrien nodded, diverging from his path to find a vacant alley.

"Plag, claws out!"

The transformation was swift, and Ladybug was nearly as fast.

"Hey Chat. I was expecting your call. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm f- no, I need help," he croaked.

Ladybug responded without hesitation.

"Ok, meet me at at the top of the Eiffel Tower as soon as you have the chance, I'll be waiting," Ladybug suggested calmly.

Chat forced a confirmation from his throat and hung up. He sprinted in the direction of the landmark. He could feel his boots pounding in the cement walkway, the beats between his feet so close that his lungs felt like they were on fire.

"When would Nathalie have had time to help Hawkmoth?" He wondered, and suddenly noticed his vision began to blur.

He fought off the oncoming tears, wiping them away without losing any speed, until he finished reached the base of the tower.

Using his baton like an elevator, he softly raised himself to the top observation post, where Ladybug stood waiting. The afternoon sun and cloudless day stood as a direct contradiction to how he was feeling.

As Chat opened his mouth to speak, he heard a heartbreaking sob. It took him only a minute to realize it was his own cry, and only a moment after that Ladybug had wrapped her arms around his shaking body.

"Chat," she said kneading his tightened shoulders with her fingers,"I'm so glad I have a dependable partner like you. You are probably the best match for me in all of Paris. You're what I can't be and what I wish I was. You're the distraction in the plan. The purrson who always has a joke on his tongue. Chat… you're my best friend, and with all the things that I've gained from this miraculous, I'm most grateful for you."

Chat couldn't respond, he just clutched her tighter. Even if Ladybug never had romantic feelings for him, he now knew that she considered him her best friend, even if they couldn't share all the details of their personal lives with one another.

Another thought popped into his mind. Ladybug had never even brought up Mayura; everything had been about what she thought of him.

Against his better judgment, he spoke through the tears.

"I-I killed her," he managed.

Ladybug just squeezed him tighter.

"A-and, I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I knew her personally. I knew Nathalie Sancoeur."

This time Ladybug pulled him away looking him in the eye.

"Oh. I'm… s-so sorry Chat! I can't imagine how you are feeling right now… and to be honest you shouldn't have told me that, just like I shouldn't be telling you that I knew her a little too," she admitted.

Both heroes repressed the urge to use this newfound information to deduce potential identities of their partner.

The two talked for a bit more, allowing small talk to dominate the rest of their conversation.

"So… do we need to tell the police? I mean, you, me, Rena, Carapace, and Viperion are the only ones who saw anything at the abandoned factory," Chat asked.

Ladybug frowned. "I don't think so. I'm not sure how 'I used my personal mini-God's power to turn a villainous deity wielding person into dust in self-defense' would go. If the police found out your identity or got ahold of a miraculous, who knows what that could mean for Paris. I don't like circumventing the law, but I think in this case the Kwami laws supersede them."

Chat nodded, feeling another pang of guilt with a simultaneous understanding that Ladybug was right.

Finally after all had been said and done, Chat landed back into an alleyway and detransformed.

He walked several blocks to his home, feeling a sense of guilt and an accompanying sense of relief.

"Plagg, I think I get why you sent me to Ladybug. You wanted me to see what, or rather who, I was fighting for."

Plagg shrugged. "Honestly I just wanted someone else to have to do all the emotional stuff," the Kwami lied.

Adrien entered his home, seeing his father at the stairway.

"Adrien, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Nathalie is dead."

Adrien froze. The only other people who had seen her detransformed before she turned to ash were Ladybug, Carapace, Rena, and Viperion.

And Hawkmoth.


	9. Forbidden Thoughts

_Author's Note: Lyra here. After Kwamibuster, where Adrien started piecing together the whole "who is Ladybug" puzzle but listened to Plagg so he wouldn't figure it out, I thought there was a good chance that Adrien wouldn't REALLY let it go._

_Ep: *stares dreamily at story* LyraMae did it again. I'm just gonna pack up my word processor and go home now. _

_MR: Ep, you're drooling again._

_Ic: Yeah, Ep show some decorum. *dorkily stares at computer screen*_

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien/Marinette_

* * *

No matter how hard he tried not to, no matter how many times he reminded himself that he couldn't, that night he lay in bed thinking about the possibility that Marinette was Ladybug.

At first, it was just one of those feelings that was wishful, hopeful, but as it ran through Adrien's head over and over, it all just seemed to make more and more sense. His dreams wove the two girls together, leaving his consciousness confused and curious. It was almost to the point that he couldn't look at Ladybug's photo without seeing Marinette beneath the mask.

But he couldn't ask. Couldn't know. There was no way that he could give back the ring. Surely Master Fu hadn't meant that.

Pushing the thoughts away, he took his seat and waited for class to start, reciting the day's schedule in his head like a mantra: math, french, lunch, science, history, fencing, photoshoot, supper, homework, patrol, sleep. Nino's arrival allowed for more of a distraction - chattering about his brother and new music that he'd been listening to.

It was inevitable that Marinette would arrive - late and clumsy as always, tumbling over air and windmilling her arms with an exaggerated facial expression. His instincts kicked in, as usual, throwing himself in front of her to protect her from herself. She felt the same in his arms, wide blue eyes staring at him. The same blue eyes.

No, he couldn't think that. He couldn't allow himself to know if she really was the one he desperately wanted her to be. Just a smile. Just a friend. Helping her to her feet, he slid back into his seat and tried to stop the whirling of his thoughts. Don't think about it.

Math was impossible. Every move, every rustle, every scratch of pencil on paper from behind him…. All a distraction from his attempts to keep his mind clear from the forbidden.

Instead of algebra, his brain was attempting to solve complex problems like "How many times had Marinette vanished during an akuma battle?" "Did Marinette suspect him to be Chat?" "Was that why she was always nervous around him?"

The groan he made was too loud for a classroom, drawing unwanted attention from his teacher and his classmates. Classmates like one Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Tucking his head down to keep the facade of effort on his schoolwork, Adrien suffered in silence. Had it been Marinette that he'd been protecting? Had it been Marinette's body pressed against his countless times? Had he kissed her? Would she let him kiss her again?

Oh God, he had to stop this line of thought before it got any more out of control.

The bell was merciful, sending him bolting to the locker room where Plagg's look of annoyance did nothing more than bring the thoughts circling back. He groaned again, banging his head softly against the locker wall. How was he going to purge this thought from his brain and still function?

Sounds of screaming and thumping of people racing into the locker room brought him back to attention. Akuma. Of course it would be an akuma. Slipping into a hidden corner of the boys' room, Adrien called for a transformation and leapt out the window to face his foe.

The akuma was really of no consequence to him, just a duty that needed to be resolved. But Ladybug - she made it worth it. Cocky grin and puns intact, he leapt into action, hoping beyond hope that maybe some kind of clue would escape and he would know, without a doubt. Marinette or not.

He watched in awe as she did her thing, an elaborate plan with a lucky charm followed by her miraculous ladybug cure. They did their traditional fist bump and then he hesitated a little as he stared into her eyes. Eyes that looked at him in concern. A voice that asked him if he was ok.

His response was to kiss her knuckles with a practiced smile, slipping into the familiar between them. "Yes, Marinette."

Her stiff reaction and shocked features made him realize his mistake. His wonderful, terrible slip of the tongue - saying the name of his thoughts instead of the nickname he'd given her long ago. Her breath uneven, her body frozen as her eyes glazed over in panic. Was it so bad to know? Was it so bad to share each other without the masks? Her look of utter desperation and terror told him that yes - it mattered.

"I'm sorry, I meant, My Lady." Play it off. Make a joke.

Frantic beeping from her earrings gave her an opportunity to escape. He braced himself for her to pull her hand back and run away.

"Chat-" Her voice was small. She continued to stare at him, as if she was trying to pull his identity from his soul. He willed his mask away, willed her to see him. It was like a magnet, pulling her to him, clutching her hand to his chest.

"We can't."

He knew. He knew.

It almost hurt to let her go and step away. He smiled despite it all. She smiled too, although it didn't reach her eyes. Eyes that were twisted in a mix of sadness, curiosity, and worry. Then she launched herself off the roof and swung away.

Watching as she arced out of sight, he sighed a little as his brain danced happily. It was Marinette. He was sure of it. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. How was he ever going to be able to concentrate at school again?

Finding his way to a place that he could transform, he stayed hidden for a while, lost in his thoughts. Marinette had been the one to crash out of the sky and leave them tangled together. Marinette had been the girl who had stood up to Hawkmoth. His brain replayed every battle, every patrol, every conversation with a new light. He leaned back against the wall, feeling himself slid to the ground.

Plagg looked completely unimpressed, side eyeing while he ate his cheese. Adrien didn't care. His heart was too busy jumping in excitement while his brain processed it all. He wanted to cheer and, at the same time, cry. God, he was a mess.

The sound of the bell made him jump. What time was it? Voices and bodies rushed from the school nearby signalling lunch hour. Forcing himself to his feet and shoving Plagg into his shirt, Adrien all but raced to the front where his car was waiting. A scan of the students didn't reveal Marinette. She was probably staying for lunch today. Maybe that was for the best. He didn't know how to handle a meeting out of the suits right now.

Lunch consisted of him mostly pushing his food around his plate in an empty dining room with a kwami who seemed extremely intent on his cheese instead of conversation.

"Plagg?" Adrien tried finally. Plagg turned slowly to look at him. "How bad will it be if I know who Ladybug is?" He had sort of expected the annoyed sigh and eye roll, combined with some elusive conversation about the value of cheese and a whole bunch of under the breath mumbling.

The return to school had him all jittery with excitement, barely able to control the pent up swirl of emotions. He forced himself to walk casually, thankful for his skills as a model. She was here. His lady was here, in his school. In his class.

He wasn't prepared when he entered the class and made eye contact with Marinette. It was like all time stopped, even as she flushed and looked away. He couldn't tear his eyes from her even though he knew he should. His feet stumbled beneath him, causing him to trip. He heard Marinette gasp, looking at him in surprise, calling his name. Asking if he was ok. He pushed himself to his feet, taking her hand softly and pressing it to his chest.

"Yes, Marinette." Her eyes widened, searching his face intently.

"Adrien." Breathless wonder frozen in time.

A sharp clap from the teacher called the class to order. With reluctance, Adrien slipped his hand from hers and found his seat. How would he ever be able to focus again?


	10. Secrets

_Author's Note: Keeping secrets from her kitty is getting more and more difficult for Marinette. Sooner or later, the curious feline is going to find out all of her secrets. -ep_

_Ep: No surprise. Marichat never gets old for me. But these cat ears Malcolm has made me wear since MariChatMay are getting a bit worn. _

_MR: Marichat may not get old for you… but are you too old for Marichat? And I told you that you can take the ears off to sleep._

_Ic: One can never be too old for MariChat, MR. It is eternal. *whispers so Ep doesn't hear* With occasional breaks for Lukanette._

_MR: OK, so not too old for shipping Marichat, but does he have to wear the Chat costume everywhere?_

_Lyra: *wonders how she got roped in with these three while silently screaming ADRIENETTE FOREVER!*_

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien/Marinette_

* * *

Ladybug swung around the park and lassoed the antenna aerial on the building next to the Bakery, and pulled hard on the cord of her yo-yo. The akuma had taken far longer to defeat than normal, and that silly cat had delayed her even further with his usual schtick. That last part didn't infuriate her any longer; in fact, it had become somewhat endearing, even if he didn't know his actual girlfriend was hiding beneath the mask after all.

She smiled as she hurdled the final rooftop and sailed toward the refuge of the Bakery patio. Chat had come into her life as Marinette unexpectedly a few months prior, appearing on her balcony in a moment when _both_ of them had become disillusioned while looking for happiness in the wrong place. It had started innocently enough, but had led to nightly visits by her favorite kitty at the Bakery; or, when she least expected him, Chat would magically appear when she was sketching at the park or out for a walk along the Seine.

Somehow, he always knew when she needed him. And he'd be there, with that special smile she only saw as Marinette and a blazing compassionate warmth in those feline eyes that he shared only with her.

It was a double-edged sword, of course, for the more time he spent with her as Marinette, the greater the difficulty had been for her to slip away and become Ladybug when the need arose. Tonight had been the trickiest yet: they'd been sharing a quiet dinner beneath the stars when his baton buzzed the akuma alert, and his gentle but firm insistence that she take shelter in the Bakery before he left to join Ladybug had forced her to wait until long after he'd departed to call for her transformation.

Rushing to the scene, she'd found her kitty quite literally wrapped up in his work, having been embraced in long tendrils of thread from some sort of knitting akuma. She'd been angry initially, since her delay in arriving to rescue him had, indirectly, been his fault; the bright smile that lit his face when she landed on the paving stones to chastise him for taking on the akuma solo had melted her heart on the spot.

It had taken short work to free Chat but this particular akuma had been bent on blanketing Paris in a layer of warm cashmere. As Ladybug landed landed in a semi-secluded part of the rooftop patio, hidden slightly by the brickwork of the chimney, she reaffirmed her promise to herself to avoid that horrid color fabric for the rest of her life.

"Tikki - spots off," she said quietly, and felt the tingle of the magic as it washed over her.

Her cute pink kwami appeared and she fished a cookie out of her purse. "That cat," Marinette said fondly, "is likely on a direct path here. We need to get downstairs before he arrives."

Tikki nodded as she munched. "He's been rubbing off on you, Marinette. You're taking too many chances."

"I've got it under control," Marinette laughed as she rounded the brick wall. "I've got him wrapped-"

Tikki's gasp and subsequent phasing into the purse went unremarked as Marinette's eyes landed on Chat Noir. He was perched on the railing, defying gravity as always; normally, his face broke into a wide smile when he saw her, but tonight, he was staring at Marinette, mouth slightly agape.

As she stepped toward him, she was initially concerned that something was wrong with her partner; maybe the akuma had affected him in some way that had gone undetected or unrepaired by the Miraculous Cure. "Chat?" Marinette asked, worried. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he said, slowly, the smile finally appearing on his face. "Better than I realized," he added as his wide masked eyes followed her in. He waited until she'd snuggled under his arms and had pressed her head into his costumed chest before he said, very softly, "Ladybug."

Startled, Marinette flew backwards, arms windmilling as she lost her balance. Chat was off the railing and had her in his arms in a split second, and she found herself in a deep dip, staring up at his masked visage. "Wha-what did you say?" Marinette stammered.

His green feline eyes narrowed in amusement. "Seriously, Milady?"

Pushing away from him, she tried to keep her head from spinning away from her. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Chat, but-"

"Mari, I saw you drop your transformation," he said softly. "You must have taken the long way back, for I beat you by at least five minutes. And that includes the time it took me to re-charge my kwami."

_This isn't happening_, she thought. _If he truly saw me, it's over. All of it._

Stepping backwards further, she held up her hands to try and fend off what now appeared inevitable and caught her foot again; instantly Chat had her in his arms, those feline reflexes of his saving her once more.

"Princess," he said softly as he sat her down on the chaise. "It's okay."

"No! No, it's not!" she cried. "You _can't_ know! If you do-"

"It's okay," he said again gently as he slid up onto the chaise and engulfed her in an embrace that only her super-flexible kitty could accomplish. Slowly, he started to rock her and she felt his purring begin; in just a few moments, the fear and horror at her unmasking melted away under his gentle ministrations.

Leaning his head down to hers, he whispered, "We can handle this, Mari."

"How?" she asked, despondent. "Master Fu-"

"Isn't going to do anything," Chat said as he snuggled his head into her. "Look, I know you know the identities of other members of our team. That didn't mean they had to give up being part of our group, right?"

"That's different," Marinette said. "I chose them."

"Not really," Chat replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "Let me put it this way - besides Master Fu, I'm the only other person who knows, right?"

"Right."

"You're Ladybug," he said affectionately. "Not only are you the girl I love, you're _the_ Hero of Paris that I've sworn to protect until my dying breath." He chuckled softly, interrupting the purring for a moment. "I think I can handle your secret, thank you very much."

Marinette twisted around to look at her partner, who was, in reality, so much more than that now. His gaze of compassion was so genuine, she knew in that moment he was right. She'd long trusted her very life to him while they fought back Hawkmoth; keeping her most valuable secret a secret would be all in a day's work for Chat.

"Yes," she said as she buried her head again in the reassuring strength of her partner. "Yes, I think you can."

"Good," he purred.

Marinette twisted around to look at him again. "So, in the interests of full disclosure…"

Chat's eyes flew wide in mock concern. "Princess, I can't _possibly_ reveal my identity," he laughed. "It would break the rules Ladybug set down for us."

Marinette pushed away from him, a slight smirk on her face. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, Milady," he smiled. "And there's no way you can get me to break my promise to my partner," he added with a gleam to his eye. "Besides, a cat's gotta have _some_ secrets."

"Really?" Marinette said carefully. "Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely," he smiled.

That lasted about a half second before he realized Marinette had snaked her hand to a feline ear and started to gently rub it between her fingertips. "Ah-ahhh-wha-what are you doing, Milady…?" he gasped, as he suddenly squeezed his masked feline eyes shut.

"Nothing," she said sweetly. "Now, where were we?"

Chat's purring had notched up several levels and he halfheartedly squirmed to try and escape; Marinette leaned into him, pressing him back into the chaise while knowing he could easily launch himself away from her if he had truly wanted to. She smiled wider at the thought, realizing he'd already decided to tell her, despite his protestations to the contrary.

He trusted her as much as she trusted him. And, somehow, she'd known that for a while now, hadn't she?

"Whoa-I mean-Milady-" he gasped again, the purring threatening to be loud enough to be heard three floors below in the Bakery. He tried to squirm away from her again, a bit more insistently this time, and she leaned into him once more, this time planting a kiss on his lips in the process.

"Right," she smiled at him, seeing the look of happy surrender in his eyes as she pulled back, "you were going to tell me something important… weren't you..?"


	11. The Delinquent

_Author's Note: MR: Marinette had fantastic parents. How would they NOT notice that she has been sneaking out, and put two and two together. Parents are not nearly as oblivious as their kids seem to think…_

_Lyra: …. Or as TV shows like to make them seem. …. Trust me. Moms ALWAYS know. _

_MR: They sure do. *MR and Lyra turn the "Mom Look" on Ep and Ic*_

_Ep: (eyes wide) Ic, we'd better put the cookie jar back._

_Ic: You mean you better put it back. *turns to glaring moms* It was all Ep, I tried to tell him cookies would spoil his dinner._

_MR: You forget, Ic. Moms know everything. _

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette_

* * *

"She snuck out again." Tom Dupain announced to his wife, as he came down the stairs from Marinette's room. Sabine shook her head, sadly. This was not the first time their daughter had not been where she was supposed to be.

"I wish she would talk to us. I thought she knew that she could come to us with anything. I don't think she's sneaking out to meet a boy, because she's still mooning over Adrien, but I can't imagine where she's going. This is the third time this month that I know about."

They sighed, sitting back down together on the sofa. "What are we going to do?" Tom asked his wife as she rested her head against his arm. She patted his knee. "You go to bed, Honey. I'll wait in Marinette's room until she gets back, and talk to her."

Tom hugged his wife, kissing the top of her head as he stood up and made his way to bed. Sabine tidied up the kitchen for a few minutes, and then headed up to Marinette's room to wait for her daughter's return. To her surprise, Marinette was sitting on her chaise, typing on her phone. "Hey Maman. Are you and Papa heading to bed?"

Sabine was shocked. It took her a moment to recover, but she walked over and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Don't stay up too late. Have you finished your homework?"

"Yes, Maman, I have. Alya was just telling me about the most recent akuma attack, but I was planning on going to bed soon."

"Goodnight then Sweetie. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to set your alarm!"

As Sabine slipped into bed with her husband, she asked, "Did you check on her balcony? She was in her room when I went up there, and I know she didn't come through the house."

"I thought I did." Tom replied ruefully. "I guess not thoroughly enough. What else could the answer be… she climbed up the side of the house?"

His wife laughed, but still was uneasy about where her daughter had been, letting it drop for the time being, but worrying over it in that way that mothers do.

The next few weeks were quiet. They knew where Marinette was at all times, as it was Fashion Week, and Marinette was glued to her computer screen, watching all the models and scribbling down ideas for designs.

It was another 2 weeks before Sabine went upstairs to call Marinette for dinner, and found that her room was empty. Making sure to check the balcony, she was completely certain that Marinette was nowhere in the house. The two were halfway through dinner when Marinette came down from her room. "That smells delicious, Maman!"

"Come join us." Sabine said, seriously. "We need to talk."

Once Marinette sat down in her chair, her mother gently, but firmly, broached the subject of Marinette's absences. "Sweetie, it's not that we don't trust you, but this school year, you have gone missing quite a bit. We've already talked about issues with you being in the wrong class at the wrong time, and we haven't had many reports of that since then, but there have been several times that I've gone looking for you, when you should have been in your room and you were nowhere to be found. Marinette, what is going on?"

"I'm so sorry Maman. I will try harder to be where I am supposed to be." Marinette apologized sincerely and profusely, but no matter how many times or ways her parents asked, she would only express her remorse, but offered no explanation. Frustrated, her parents told her that without an explanation, then she would be grounded, not allowed into her room with the trapdoor closed, even when she was supposed to be sleeping.

Marinette nodded and accepted her punishment without complaint or argument. The rest of dinner was quiet, even Tom didn't feel like making any puns. He knew there was something going on with his daughter, but was unable to help her, since she wouldn't tell them what was wrong.

It was heartbreaking to her parents when the very next day, Marinette was not in her room when Sabine came to let her know they were going to bed. Disappointment, anger an a little fear swirled in her gut. She sighed deeply and headed downstairs to tell her husband that their daughter was gone again.

Tom was in bed. Sabine hoped that he was able to sleep better than she was, as she lay on her daughter's chaise, waiting for her to come home. She had closed the trap door, so even if her worries hadn't kept her awake, she would hear her enter her room, no matter how stealthily she tried.

A few hours later, the whirling in Sabine's head had slowed enough for her to start to drift off, when she heard a thump above her. Sitting straight up, she looked towards the skylight, in time for it to open, and Ladybug slip inside. A flash of pink light, and Marinette was sitting on her bed, a small red creature floating next to her.

It was Sabine's gasp that gave her away. Marinette's head snapped around and paled when she saw her mother's open-mouthed stare. "Maman! I-I-I-I'm sorry." Marinette hung her head, knowing that there was nothing she could say, worried that her mother both had and hadn't seen her transform. It wasn't until Tikki spoke up that Marinette realized that her identity had been discovered.

"Mrs. Cheng. It is nice to finally meet you. I am Tikki. I am the one that helps your daughter become Ladybug. It is my fault that she was not honest with you. I encouraged her to tell nobody, for the safety of her friends and family, so that Hawkmoth could not target them."

"Sweetie, I understand why you couldn't tell us what was going on." Marinette looked up at her mother, tears in both of their eyes. "Please know that I am incredibly proud of you. Naturally any punishment is lifted, on the condition that you let us know you are safe when the fighting is over." Sabine stood up and opened her arms to her daughter.

Launching herself off the bed, she flew into her mother's arms, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Thank you, Maman. I hated lying to you guys so much, but I just couldn't tell you the truth."

Stroking her daughter's hair, Sabine let her own tears fall. "I cannot tell you how proud of you we are. We will talk to you father in the morning. If there is anything we can do to help you, please let us know. That goes for either of you." Turning her face to where Tikki was hovering near her daughter's pigtail, she smiled at the little kwami.

Tikki smiled at her. "I couldn't ask for more loving parents for Marinette. Thank you for supporting her through everything. The only thing I could ask for is, maybe, a cookie?"

Both Marinette and her mother giggled, and together, the three headed downstairs to the kitchen.


	12. A Sober Silence

_Author's Note: Another story from Dearest Mr. Icarus, who just LOVES his cliffhangers..._

_Lyra: See…. this is why I don't drink. _

_Ep: ...and why I stick with coffee. Lots and lots of coffee_

_MR: Yeah… Funny story about a much younger me and sake..._

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien_

* * *

Adrien had planned a wonderful get together with his old friend, Kagami Tsurugi. Now, only a day after his planning, he was walking with her, side by side after not having seen her since they were 17, just over a year prior. Adrien promised himself that this would be the best 'friend date' ever.

As a first stop, they had walked by Andre's ice cream stand and took their place in line. People lined up behind them, and as the pair looked back they silently whispered to each other.

"I'm glad we got here when we did," Adrien commented, noticing the line was nearly twice as long as when they had entered it.

"I agree," Kagami said nervously, "it appeared approximately 100 meters long when we arrived. It has since grown slightly less than 150 meters longer."

Adrien stood next to the girl, unsure how to respond to the incredibly analytical statement. So, in awkward silence, he waited.

And waited. For an hour. By the time they had reached the front, Andre was all out of ice cream. Adrien had played it off as no big deal, though he was really hoping to have enjoyed ice cream with his friend.

Being quick with his tongue, he had suggested that if they couldn't taste of ice together, maybe they could dance on it together.' The idea had seemed brilliant at the time, and they made the 5 kilometer walk to get to the skating rink, which just so happened to be the same one they had gone to on their first date nearly six years prior.

Adrien in nervous excitement tried to burst through the door. Instead he slammed into it, headfirst. As he collided with it, Kagami pointed out a sign saying the building was closed for routine maintenance.

They had both sighed, trying to hide their mutual discomfort and disappointment and decided to walk to their dinner reservation instead of being chauffeured. In conversation they both claimed they wanted to get a little more fresh air. Secretly however, both were hoping the walk would be a fun way to talk and kill some time.

Even after the 5k walk, they both felt confident in their athletic abilities, though Adrien wore only a thin white button up shirt and Kagami trudged her way onward in 4 inch heels. They survived, and even enjoyed talking about the latest news in the upcoming French and Japanese Olympic fencing teams, though both 19 year olds were incredibly tense and restricted in their conversation.

However, as fading sunlight turned into grey clouds, Kagami had had enough.

"We're only halfway there," she told Adrien, "and I think it's going to rain soon. I'm going to call my driver and have him pick us up." She announced.

As she removed her phone from her purse, a crack of lightning and downpour of rain shocked her into dropping her phone. The screen shattered against the pavement, prompting a curse Adrien didn't quite recognize.

"It's fine, use mine," Adrien replied, handing her his cell. She took no time to dial a number and begin to call out something Adrien didn't quite understand. She repeated the phrase louder, and this time he realized she was speaking in Japaneese. She tried a third time, at a volume he hadn't expected the petite girl capable of producing, then swiftly hung up the phone and returned it to him.

"They can't hear me over the rain. Looks like we'll have to continue on foot," she said, adding a foreign word Adrien was fairly certain was not 'ladylike'.

The frustrated pair made their way to the restaurant at an incredible speed until Adrien heard a crack behind him. He turned to see Kagami fall forward, her left heel broken and lodged in the sidewalk behind her.

He caught her in his arms, a smile of relief spread across his lips. As he looked into her eyes, he couldn't help but admire his old friend. She'd allowed her hair to grow out, a look that seemed to compliment the determination in her eyes, and the fire in her spirit. And for just an instant, as they locked eyes, she smiled.

"I'm so glad to have such a great friend like Kagami," Adrien thought, "even if it has been terrible date with the rain and everyth-"

His thoughts were interrupted by her gently pressing her lips against his. In response, he backed away falling right into a puddle. The angelic smile slowly twisted into horrified gaping lips.

"I-I thought you wanted to…"

"I...uh… wasn't expecting it," Adrien muttered in response, his cheeks painted a bright shade of red.

After another 20 gruelingly silent minutes in the heavy downpour, they made it to the restaurant, 'Kazuto's Cabin' a quaint looking, yet surprisingly high-class Japanese restaurant.

Adrien let out a silent groan as he opened the heavy oak door. Kagami offered a sterile "thank you" in response and walked into the restaurant, soaking wet. As Adrien walked into the building, he enjoyed the warmth and wondered how such a promising evening could've wound up like this.

The hostess met them at the entrance, a pair of towels already in her hands.

"I'm so sorry Ms Tsurugi, your mother just called and told us you may have been caught in the rain. Please take these for you and your guest to dry off with," the woman said handing her the towels.

She quickly disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Adrien and Kagami to mop off the thick layer of water that clung to them.

"Wow, I guess they treat their customers quite well here," Adrien joked, then wiped his face dry.

"Businesses tend to treat the children of their primary investors with extra care," Kagami returned cooly.

_"Ahhh," Adrien thought, "that makes sense."_

Before he could address her comment, the hostess joined the pair once more, this time holding a pair of hangers; a set of traditional kimonos upon them.

"I'm sure you're both quite cold so I brought these from the back for you two to change into," she said, handing them to Kagami "unfortunately we only have one restroom, so you'll have to take turns changing."

Kagami looked at them, then held the pair of hangers towards Adrien. "Do you want the red one or the green one?"

The red one was a deep crimson, spotted with white flowers, whereas the green kimono was a dark green color without any discernible pattern.

Adrien's eyes were instantly drawn to the grass green article of clothing, unaware that Kagami was watching.

"I agree, the green one definitely suits you," she said, handing it to him as she began to walk towards the bathroom,"oh, and would you order me a drink while you're at the table. I don't know what they have here, but anything warm is fine with me."

Adrien made his way to the table, guided by a man in a dark blue kimono. After being seated, Adrien turned to him. "I… uh, don't exactly know much about Japanese beverages. What is the best 'warm drink' you have?"

The man smiled and let out a deep bellow, then replied with a heavy accent, "My favorite warmed drink would be Tokubetsu Honjōzō-shu sake."

"Ok, what is that exactly? Like some kind of tea?"

The man shook his head. "No, it's a pure rice brew with rice that has been polished 60 percent or less," the man explained.

Adrien smiled and nodded, completely unsure of what he was ordering. "Ok, I'll have 2 Tok… of those to start my fr- my date and me off."

The man smiled again and nodded, walking gracefully towards the kitchen as if he were curious how this date would turn out. He returned a few minutes later with a pair of small porcelain saucers. He placed one next to Adrien, and the other across the table, then walked away.

Adrien smelled the saucer, then satisfied by the smell, pressed it to his lips and drank the beverage, trying his best to savor the flavors. A moment later it was gone. Adrien could feel the warmth of the drink fill his body.

_"Wow, no wonder they give you such small portions. For such a little drink, it's definitely good," Adrien thought to himself._

Under the table, Plagg snickered.

Adrien looked at the cabin for the first time. It had a rustic feel, which was complemented by shades over the windows that depicted a summer forest. The fact that the restaurant was nearly empty magnified the effect. For a moment he almost felt like he was in a cabin in the woods: His imagination took hold and he could see himself married with a child, living in the little cottage.

The thought prompted a little chuckle from Adrien. _"I dunno what I'm thinking, but I'm starting to feel a little more relaxed than usual. It must be this atmosphere."_

In the midst of the realization, Kagami returned, her red kimono swirling in step with her.

"Wow, you look beautiful," Adrien observed.

"What?!" Kagami exclaimed in surprise. She couldn't help but wonder how in half an hour this boy had gone from jumping out of a kiss and into a puddle to staring at her with hearts practically popping out of his eyes.

"Um. I uh… I should change. I ordered a couple of… I think they were called something like 'Tokyo-Sue Honey Shoe' or something. It's apparently this really awesome fancy warm rice drink that all the cool kids are drinking," Adrien mumbled before walking towards the bathroom.

Kagami looked at the porcelain cup. It couldn't have had more than a fifth of a liter of fluid, but hesitantly she followed the same process Adrien had, before downing her drink as well. A smile touched the corners of her lips as the dry clothes and warm drink soothed her.

"Sumimasen deshita," she said to the passing waiter,"could my date and I get another another drink?"

She held the cups out, which the man took, his smile once more bursting from his lips.

"I assume you and your boyfriend enjoyed the drink?"

Kagami felt her face go red, but she nodded.

It felt like an eternity before Adrien returned, the green clothing cascading against his eyes, creating an explosion of dark green that Kagami desperately wanted to get lost in.

He sat down across from her, trying to hide a blooming blush. At the same time, the waiter chose to reappear, carrying a second round of sake for the young couple.

They both accepted the cups and savored the beverage. The man turned to them, and formally introduced himself as Adrien and Kagami picked up their menus.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mention it earlier, but my name is Monsieur Kirigaya. Is there anything I can get for you two today?"

"A couple more of these drinks," Adrien started,"and-"

"Sir, are you sure that you want more sa-"

Kagami interrupted him. "Kirigaya-san, we most definitely would like more, thank you. As for meals, I'd like the katsudon...though if my mother calls, tell her I ordered the salad."

"Of course Tsurugi-san. The 'salad' it is. And you, sir?"

Adrien blushed but tried to remain confident as he ordered. "I'll have the California Roll," he decided, knowing it was the only item on the menu he was familiar with. It also happened to be the only item that wasn't authentic Japanese food.

"Very good. I'll return with your drinks shortly, the food will be ready within half an hour," he said, then calmly walked back to the kitchen.

"Wow, this place is nice," Adrien observed aloud,"the kind of place you'd want to raise a family."

"In a restaurant?" Kagami teased, though she knew what he meant.

"No silly. In a woodland cabin," Adrien responded, giggling ever so slightly.

Kagami couldn't help but notice that she was having a harder time controlling her emotions than usual, though she couldn't pinpoint the realization was complemented by her next phrase.

"Yeah, I think you're right. Starting a family with you in a place like this would be nice."

A scarlet hue covered his cheeks, letting Kagami know she had hit an emotional home run.

_"Maybe Adrien really was ok kissing me in the rain, he really was just surprised," she wondered._

"Haha, yeah. I could see marrying a girl like you," Adrien said nervously.

_"A girl LIKE you," both teens thought simultaneously. _

Both went silent once more, allowing the gentle koto music in the background to fill their minds and hopefully end whatever awkwardness was occuring.

The waiter returned, holding two more cups that he placed near the pair. They waited a moment then both reached out for the unknown nectar of warmth. The single relief in this otherwise confusing situation.

"The 'Tokyo-Sue Honey Shoe' is some pretty good stuff, isn't it?" Kagami said finally.

"Haha, yeah sorry I don't really speak Japanese, though I've been hoping to learn it. But, yeah. I keep reminding myself to savor it. It really warms me up too, even after I've drunk it all."

Kagami nodded in agreement. Somehow in the last hour that they had been in the restaurant, she had felt more and more relaxed, almost sedated.

"Oh, you want to learn Japanese, Adrien?" She wondered playfully.

"Yes, definitely. Of course I've learned some English in school, and my father had me learn Chinese from a young age, but Japan has always held a certain intrigue for me."

At that moment the waiter walked by carrying their fourth drinks.

A devious smile spread across the female fencer's lips as she sipped at her beverage. "Perhaps I could teach you a few phrases," she suggested.

"Would you really?" He asked excitedly.

"Of course. Now let's start with something easy. 'Daisuki' means good morning. Now you try it."

Adrien hesitated. "I thought 'ohayou' meant good morning?"

"Oh, well yes, you could say 'Ohayou Gozaimasu' but this way is better. Try it on me!"

"Kagami, daisuki."

Kagami's eyes lit up at the phrase. Adrien took that as a sign he had done well and looked at her as if to ask for another phrase.

"Now try good evening pronounced 'aishiteru'."

"Kagami, aishiteru," he copied.

This time the girl squealed in delight.

Adrien beamed, sure that he had done very well.

As the waiter appeared once more he took their empty cups, and was attacked with an unexpected phrase.

"Kirigaya, aishiteru," Adrien said proudly.

The man stumbled back, nearly dropping the dishes he was holding in the proces. He looked a bit shocked, which Adrien took as a sign of surprise that a Frenchman had already learned Japanese. He smiled warmly, as Kirigaya nodded, then rushed towards the kitchen.

Across the table, Kagami couldn't stop laughing.

"I-I can't believe you just said that!" She spewed before guffawing at Adrien's unknowing mistake.

"What? did I mispronounce it?" Adrien asked worriedly.

"No, that's the best part! You said it perfectly."

A moment later the waiter emerged with their meals, a look of stoic professionalism carved into his face.

"Here is your meal, Sir. And yours Tsurugi-san," he said, placing two platters on the table.

"Thank you," Adrien said, looking at his meal,"and while you return to the kitchen, could you get us some more of this rice drink?"

Kirigaya looked at him with shock, his mouth visibly gaping. "I-I'm sorry sir, but I'll have to cut you two off. Four cups of sake is the max, even for members of the Tsurugi family."

Kagami nearly choked on the bit of pork cutlet in her mouth. Gracefully, or as gracefully as an inebriated individual can be, she placed the bite into her napkin and looked at the server.

"That was sake?!" She nearly cried in the empty building.

Her date looked back and forth between the pair, confusion strewn over his face.

"Yeah. That was the word at the end. Is that super expensive or something?" He asked worriedly.

"It costs abo-" Kirigaya began.

"No, it wouldn't make even a dent on either of our wallets. But it is alcoholic."

Adrien laughed. "So you mean it's easier to talk go you right now because I'm t-toasted?"

"Yeah. I was wondering why I was feeling less awkward about you rej-jececting me, earlierrr," she slurred.

The blue robed man took the conversation as a chance to escape and slipped away, hoping they wouldn't tell their well-known and influential parents about the friendly man who gave them serving after serving of alcohol without mentioning it to them.

Adrien used his chopsticks to roll his sushi on the plate. "I um… wh-who said I rejected youuu?"

She looked surprised as he turned towards her, his emerald eyes looking up in warm sincerity.

"You see, that's one of my secrets Kagami," he bellowed proudly,"but since they're secret I can't tell you them."

Now amused, Kagami began to probe. "And what-t exactly are you hiding from me? I'll let you try some of my katsudon of you tell me."

Adrien looked at her, his eyes searching her for any trace of guile or cunning plans. "Ok, it looks really good. I'll tell y-you my first secret. I have ramentic… romantic fu-felings for 4 girls. Now gimme."

Kagami removed a small part of the pork cutlet, and placed it next to Adrien's half eaten roll. "That's all you gu-get until you tell me their names."

Adrien smiled victoriously as he munched on the food, enjoying the savory flavors of meat and egg.

Moments later, he looked at her plate, untouched since she had served him. Looking higher, he was met with expectant eyes.

"Now tell me more, pretty boy," she demanded.

"Pretty boy?" Adrien grinned mischievously,"tell you wha-what. For another piece of that stuff… the cats-oo-don, and if you tell me who you like, and call me pretty boy again, I'll give you one of the names."

Kagami laughed, excited to be playing the game, and delighted to have an honest conversation with Adrien for once. "Who I like? What are we sool-school children?"

"Deal or no deal?" He said apathetically, trying to hold in a cheshire-cat grin.

"Fine," she submitted, "pretty boy, I like you, Adrien Agreste. Now here is your katsudon, and tut-tell me what her name is."

Adrien beamed with joy. "Girl number one is Kagami Tsurugi. You-She is, er uh, has b-been my friend for years, is super smart, gorgeous, and works hard at everything she does. Also I recently realized she has a really cute butt."

Kagami felt her cheeks redden as she tried to respond in a flustered gasp.

"Y-you shameless flirt. A-are you being serious?"

Adrien nearly transformed into Chat before her eyes as he gave her a toothy grin. "I would nunever lie to a girl as wonderful as you."

As if a switch flipped in her head, Kagami's attention instantly changed. "Who are the other three girls?!"

Adrien tilted his head slightly up, then glanced at her plate. "You know the cost f-fur that information," he offered slyly.

The girl slid her entire plate to Adrien's side, then stood up and carried her chair, placing it right next to his.

"How about we play a different game," she said, her eyes reminiscent of a cat's eyes glistening on the hunt.

"Uh… what k-kind of game?" He squeaked.

The girl took the offense, pulling herself close to him. Softly sighing in his ear, she offered her deal. "You tell me a name and you get a reward. You hesitate and… w-well, it'll be less fun."

Kagami tried to sound authoritative, but her occasional drunken slip of tongue made it hard. She made a note to herself to stay sober next time she made a move on Adrien.

"I'll get you started. The next girl you fancy is Marin…"

"...ette." he almost whispered.

Kagami now had the name of her first opponent, just as she had expected.

She smiled sheepishly, then picked up her chopsticks and pulled a piece of meat off of her plate. "This time you won't just get a bit of my food, I'll feed it to you."

Adrien obediently opened his mouth, and fought a blush as Kagami placed a scoop full of egg yolk covered rice in his mouth.

"And the other two? For an extra special surprise?"

Adrien gulped, feeling the sake try to speak for him.

_"I kinda want to tell her though," Adrien considered,"maybe it would help me come to a decision."_

"Uh… th-they'rere uh… Ladybug and… Ryuko. B-but I know you're Ryuko…"

A ghost-like pale reached the young female fencer's face.

"I-I'm not a superhero… And h-how could you ever love either of them? Itz n-nnnot like you know them."

"Who says I don't know you and Ladybug purrsonally?" He grinned.

Kagami, whose eyes had previously been glued to the table, whirled her whole face to look straight at her model friend.

"No. No way. N-nonono! You're Chat freaking Noir!"

"Shhhhshhhshhh," Adrien said, putting his hand over her face," We aren't supposed to tell people."

He instantly moved his hand, wiping it on a napkin.

"Did you jus-st lick me?!"

She grinned in retaliation. "Well you said my identity out loud first. And besides, we've had too much to drink, so everyone is going to forget this tomorrow anyhow."

Adrien felt the gears meshing in his head. Somehow that didn't seem right. And besides that, he had a sneaking suspicion that neither of them was blackout drunk just yet.

"So… h-how did you figure o-out my identity?"

When Kagami looked at him, she tilted her head back in such a way that Adrien felt like he must've asked a dumb question like "what color is the sky?" Or "what number comes after 5?"

"Well, first of all you've dr-dropped multiple cat puns since our date started. And more importantly, only a handful of people knew my identity."

Adrien cursed. Of course he'd forgotten that Kagami was brilliant, and even totally hammered, she could solve that puzzle.

"So… what do we do now?" Adrien asked.

As if to answer, a decidedly non-Japanese chef stopped by their table.

"Ms. Tsurugi, we've been pleased to have you dine at our establishment, however we are closing the shop for the night. You're welcome to stay, but please lock up when you leave. And for all that is good in this world, please find someone to take you home," he looked at Adrien,"someone sober."

In what felt like a moment later, though it was closer to half an hour, the chef walked out the door, leaving the pair alone in the building.

"We should play a game," Kagami suggested, noticing her words seemed less slurred after having stayed away from the sake for some time, though her brain still felt a bit foggy.

"Ok."

"Call Ladybug and Marinette. The first girl you like to get to the restaurant and kiss you becomes your girlfriend. Deal?" Kagami suggested daringly.

_"This seems like a great idea. Why didn't I ever think of it," Adrien realized._

"But wait, how will I get Ladybug, here? She is notorious for killing good ideas," Adrien lamented.

"Make something up."

Adrien took no time to remove his phone and make the first call.

"Hey Adrien, it's kinda late, what's up?" The sleepy soon-to-be designer yawned.

"Do you want me to be your boyfriend, Marinette?"

The line went silent.

"Um… could you repeat the question?" She asked nervously as Kagami snickered on Adrien's side of the line.

"Do you want to date Adrien? You know, be his girlfriend? Get the smooches from the model himself? Get to sit next to the radiating fire that is his kindness? Be Adrien Agreste's one and only true love, and the future mother of his children?" Kagami yelled in the background.

"What, who is talking behind you Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"Don't worry about that. Just… if you want to date me come to Kirito's Cabin and kiss me before Kagami does."

And with that jarring phrase, the line went dead.


	13. Frail

_Author's Note: Lyra here. Some people are worth giving everything for. Even if we don't realize it until the moment it happens._

_MR: *sobs* What a nice fluffy Christmas story…._

_Ep: (handing Malcom a Kleenex) Can you say that louder? Into this microphone? I want this on record._

_MR: *takes microphone* Lyra writes wonderful stories..._

_Ic: *incoherent sobbing*_

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette and Adrien_

* * *

Beneath her shaking fingers, the earrings felt vulnerable. Fragile. Frail. An outward manifestation of everything her heart felt in that moment. Hawkmoth's eyes were alight with victory while Chat's begged for her to stop even as his voice gave out. Earrings or his life. As if there was a choice.

Her eyes met Chat's as the flash of pink sizzled across her skin, unflinching as she watched the look of frantic pleading turn to surprise. Hawkmoth's grip on her partner's neck tightened, the darkness of his laughter nearly more than she could bear. Shifting her gaze to the monster in the silver mask, she raised her chin in determination before she stepped forward with the jewellry in her open palm.

"Let him go," she said, knowing her voice sounded flat instead of the commanding tone that she wished it could be. She couldn't look at Tikki, couldn't let her kwami's urgent words permeate into her brain or she might stumble, might be willing to reconsider.

Not for Chat. He was the only thing that mattered.

Hawkmoth's lunge for her earrings threw her cat partner to the side, discarded as if he was nothing. Tikki vanished with a soft cry as Hawkmoth's fingers curled around the jewels, a fierce laugh of triumph ringing through Marinette's ears. Then he was gone.

Her legs shook, the sudden realization of what she'd done hitting her with a rush. When she collapsed, it was into Chat's arms, strong and stable - just like always. The rock she needed.

"Why?" he breathed, his green eyes searching hers with undecipherable emotions. "Why did you give up your earrings for me?"

How could she explain? How could words every truly define the feelings she had for him? Feelings she had only just allowed herself to admit as she pulled the earrings from her ears. A love so deep it terrified her to the core. There was nothing she could say that could make him understand.

There was only this: Her lips on his, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She felt him start in surprise, stiff for only a moment before he leaned in closer.

"Because I love you."

His arms tightened around her, his eyes softening. She wept against his chest, long after the suit had given way to familiar fabric.

"I love you too, Marinette."

A glance at his face - his unmasked face - left her speechless.

"Adrien?" His smile was like a beacon, drawing her in.

"Hi."

It all made sense - the confusing struggle of emotions between them all this time. She didn't know if she should laugh or cry, teetering dangerously on the edge of hysteria. He waited, happy enough to simply hold her as she pulled herself back together.

"What do we do now?" she finally asked, hoping he had the answers she needed.

"The same thing we always do, Ladybug. You and me - together. Let's go get your earrings back."


	14. Small Spaces

_Author's Note: Chat will do whatever it takes to keep Ladybug safe. Anything. -ep_

_MR: Are you going for the Fluff Award this month, Ep? Because you're going to get it. And, MAYBE, even your own appreciation day…_

_Lyra: Frankly, I think Ep fully deserves the appreciation day. He puts up with our constant ribbing every day with a good natured laugh, AND he continuously attempts to counter all our emotionally manipulative stories with wonderful fluff and romance. That in itself deserves some kind of recognition, especially given our penchant for angst…._

_Ep: I did have my work cut out for me this month. But I love challenges…_

_MR: Fine. But it's a day not a week. We'll do it just before Christmas._

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette and Adrien (Are you shocked? Ep wrote a Marinette/Adrien reveal story….)_

* * *

"Ladybug!" I cried.

The akuma had managed a lucky shot, and nailed my partner just as she'd vaulted into the air, arm outstretched to lasso something with her yo-yo in an attempt to get into position with her Lucky Charm. I'd been perched atop a lamppost, Cataclysm ready as part of her plan, only to watch in horror as she tumbled head-over-heels in one direction, the yo-yo and Lucky Charm flying away in the other.

Without a second thought, I pushed off the crossarm and leapt into the air, the lamp dissolving to ash behind me. Angling as best as I could, I grabbed her in my arms and managed a landing with my precious cargo atop one several very small shipping containers the akuma had carefully placed in the park. Well aware of the dangers of such contraptions after our run-in with Dark Owl, I started to coil up to leap away to safety but was a fraction of a second too slow: the requisite trap door opened beneath me, and we tumbled into the dark space below, hitting the metallic floor hard.

The space was small with barely enough room for the two of us; tangled as we were in each other, it took a precious moment for me to extricate myself from my partner in order to try and leap through the opening, but the door slammed shut with a resounding thud. I smashed my feline head into the solid metal and tumbled back to the floor next to Ladybug, managing only at the last moment to twist sideways to avoid crushing her.

Trying hard to keep from hyperventilating, I squeezed my masked eyes shut in an attempt to keep from feeling like the walls of this very, very, very small airplane-restroom-sized compartment were closing in on me. While not claustrophobic per se, I'd had my fill of being trapped in small spaces - both as Adrien, who generally couldn't do much about it, and also as Chat, who often had been able to break out of the situation.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and opened my masked eyes; my night vision gave the box a green-gray glow, and I could see quickly that Ladybug was out. Leaning closer, I could hear her breathing was regular, and I gently tapped her on the shoulder. "Milady?" I asked, trying to keep the mood light. "I've finally gotten my wish. You and I, trapped together…" I trailed off, trying to ignore the walls again.

"Ladybug?" I asked again, shaking her a bit more forcefully.

She groaned and as her eyes fluttered open, immediately gripped her side, about where the bolt of whatever had nailed her. I leaned closer and gently pressed a paw to her side, eliciting a massive groan and a very un-Ladybug like curse.

"Rib," I frowned. "On a scale of one to ten?"

"Twenty seven," she gasped. "I think it's more than one. And I'm having trouble breathing."

My masked eyes couldn't go any wider, especially when her earrings chirped and I saw she had two dots left. A quick check of my ring told me I was in no better shape. "Will your Miraculous Cure patch you up?" I asked quickly. "No - don't answer, let's just try."

Ladybug nodded, grimacing in the process, and twisted to reach for the Lucky Charm that _should _have been at her waist - her eyes widened as her fingers grasped in air. "Where is it?" she asked haltingly.

Cognizant that she was in pain and her earrings were getting more strident, I scurried through the space on all fours. "What was it? What am I looking for?"

"Hand… mirror…" she gasped before letting out another cry of pain.

Tamping down my own panic, I covered the small box twice. "It's not here," I said urgently. "Can you still call the spell without it?" I asked, trying to ignore the fact that the box had shifted - the akuma had started to move us somewhere. Time was growing short in more ways than one.

"No," she said simply.

Her earrings were about to lose their final dot; I could only see one option left. "Drop your transformation," I said quietly. "If we feed your kwami and re-transform, you can call for a new charm and we'll get you right as rain."

"Chat," she gasped. I thought her lips were turning a bit blue, but my night vision could have been overcompensating. "I… don't… food..."

"I have cheese," I said. "Just a slice, but it will have to do for both of us."

Completely spent, she just nodded. The fact that she didn't even argue with me made me extremely worried. Seeing her earrings were about to lose their final dot, I scooted to slide beneath her and then gently wrapped my paws around here. "Let your transformation go, Milady," I repeated quietly as I put a paw on her hand. "I'm closing my eyes now. We'll do it together."

Sagging against me, I started to close my eyes but had misjudged how much time was left and was shocked into watching the red glow of de-transformation as it enveloped my partner; as it faded, my night vision clearly saw Marinette Dupain-Cheng in my arms. And she was still in pain. There was no time to process the enormity of what had just happened, so I filed it away for later.

A small red kwami floated up to me, a concerned expression on her face. "Chat, you are right - if she transforms again, we can help her. But I need to be fed."

"All I have is cheese, my mini lady," I said.

"Plagg will share," she said.

My ring chirped it's final tones, and my own transformation faded away. Carefully, I shifted beneath Marinette so I could reach the spare cheese I generally kept for Plagg; I handed it to him, and watched as he carefully split it in half.

"Hurry, Sugar Cube," he said with an affection for the tiny red kwami.

The box lurched again, and then I felt the motion pick up. "I don't want to rush you…" I said urgently.

The red kwami grimaced and bolted the cheese, Plagg- like. Plagg had already downed his portion of the slice. "Ready."

"Plagg - claws out!"

Once I was Chat again, I shifted Marinette slightly and whispered in her ear. "Call for your transformation, Milady. We're ready."

She stirred, barely on the edge of consciousness. "What...?" she gasped.

Taking another tact, I whispered: "Repeat after me," I said, my masked eyes flicking to the small kwami, who mouthed the activation words to me. "Spots… on…"

Marinette repeated them, slowly, and in a flash was back to Ladybug but no nearer coherent. I repeated the process to get her Lucky Charm called (this time it was unironically a first-aid kit), and then the moment of truth appeared. Gently holding my paw over her hand, I helped her slowly toss the kit into the air and call for Miraculous Ladybug.

The small space exploded in a burst of red and white light, and instantly her helpers swarmed all over her body; it took far longer than it normally would, sheathing her in ribbons of energy as they worked their magic. I held my breath, right until the final helper vanished in a puff of light. "Ladybug?" I asked carefully.

She groaned and moved slowly. "Ow."

"It didn't work," I said. "I'm getting us out-"

"No, it did," she said quickly. "I'm just really, _really_ sore at the moment."

I kissed her hair. "I'll take sore and living over the alternative," I laughed quietly.

The rest of that particular akuma went by in a blur. I used my Cataclysm to free us from the box, and kept the akuma distracted long enough for Ladybug to find a quiet nook to re-transform a third time (thankfully, we were near a small outdoor cafe where I presume she found something for her kwami) and call for a new Lucky Charm.

Once it was over, we regrouped on a rooftop. I'd not had to use Cataclysm again but was nearly out of time. "I really need to go," I said, looking meaningfully at my ring.

"I know," she said. "Me, too." Still, she made no move to leap away, and was looking at me hard. "Did you see?" she finally asked. "My identity?"

I thought about how to answer, and started with a Chat smirk. "Do you want the truth or a lie we can live with?"

Ladybug smiled. "All right. How about a lie I can live with?"

My smirk grew as I leaned in toward her. "You're madly in love with me, and have been since the first day we met," I whispered before leaping up into the air and helicoptering away from her.

"Wait - what? Chat - wait!" she cried after me.

Knowing how smart my lady was, it didn't surprise me the following day at school when I found Marinette was _already_ in class as I walked in. I couldn't keep the Chat smirk off my face as I slipped into my row. "Mari," I nodded, letting her take the lead.

"Adrien," she greeted, her eyes dancing with merriment. "Purrfect morning, isn't it?"

I smiled wider. "It's getting better by the moment, Milady."


	15. At What Cost

_Author's Note: MR: Just another nice piece of Christmas Fluff. Also… this story is one of the reasons for the T rating. There is definitely violence. And injury. But *shrug* nobody dies. _

_Lyra: …. Here we go again, pulling on my heartstrings …._

_Ep: Why do I always grow suspicious when MR says "nobody dies?" That's too close to being "mostly dead" in my book... _

_Ic: "Nobody dies" is one of the worst things Malcolm can say. It means all the murder energy is being saved for the next story._

_MR: My next story involves a wedding? So, yeah. Expect death. _

* * *

_Reveal: Pretty much all the good guys_

* * *

This akuma was one of the toughest that they had faced in their three years of fighting. Hawkmoth had been escalating, and it was only a matter of time before they encountered their first fatality. Chat Noir and Ladybug had recruited Rena Rouge, Carapace, Viperion, Pegasus, and even Queen Bee, but the fight was still a tough one. Death Metal's saw blades had come to close to many of them, and Queen Bee's Venom had bounced off the armor plated body.

Ladybug's lucky charm, a diamond saw, was small, as it was most commonly used by jewelers, and required her to get in very close. Leaning upon distractions by Rena and Chat, Ladybug was able to sneak in close, and reach up, slicing away the brooch that was melded with the armour. She felt a blow to her back as she was swinging away, but thought nothing of it, until she collapsed upon landing. Ladybug went to push herself back up but couldn't make her legs do what she was asking of them.

Pushing herself into a sitting position, she started coughing. To her surprise, her glove came away bloody, a fine mist of red floated to the ground around her. As she scrabbled on the ground next to her, trying to grab her lucky charm, Chat slid to a stop in front of her, looking horrified. Viperion dropped to the ground next to the black cat, with the others rushing up behind. Viperion's hand was darting towards his wrist, and Ladybug reached up to stop him.

"No 'Rion!" Ladybug's hand reached towards the snake hero. "We won." She held the brooch out towards Chat. "Would you?"

With a call of 'cataclysm' the brooch disintegrated, and a black butterfly fluttered out. Viperion lifted Ladybug, so that she was standing, keeping one arm around her waist, her back against his chest to hold her up, so she was able to catch and purify the butterfly. As she bid the butterfly goodbye, she started coughing, and the blood spray was worse this time. Struggling to catch her breath, she waved her diamond saw, weakly. Rena stepped forward and took it, looking around the group nervously, before tossing it into the air with a cry of "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The burst of red beetles was weaker than normal, but still flew over the city, repairing the enormous amount of destruction throughout the city. Only a few beetles trickled over Ladybug, before they disappeared, leaving her still gasping and weak, her entire weight being supported by Viperion's deceptively casual arm around her.

Rena Rouge looked around in a panic. "Why didn't they finish? Why didn't they fix everything? What did I do wrong?"

Ladybug shook her head and managed to wheeze out a reply between coughs. "Nothing. Harder to heal myself than everything else."

Viperion scooped Ladybug up into his arms, and whispered something into her ear that nobody else could hear. She shook her head, which caused her to cough, and elicited a small moan from deep in her throat.

"Angel." Viperion gently chastised. Ladybug's eyes flew to his in shock, before another coughing fit wracked her body, leaving her gasping for air. Taking control, Viperion started issuing orders. "Queen Bee. You're almost out of time. Head out, and one of us will check in with you soon. Pegasus, can you create a portal to College Francoise Dupont, and then head out yourself? I promise someone will be by and keep you updated. Rena, Cap, Chat… come with me."

The authority in his voice, combined with a semi-conscious Ladybug in his arms had even Queen Bee following directions without question. She waved to the others and took off towards the Grand Paris Hotel. Pegasus, likewise, conjured the requested portal, ushering the others through, Rena and Carapace leading the way.

They landed on the roof of the school, and the portal closed behind them. Once the five heroes were alone, Chat turned to Viperion. "Where are we going?"

"I'm taking her home."

Chat thought about the houseboat that Viperion lived on. "Do you think that your house is the best place? I could take her to mine, she'd get the best…"

Viperion interrupted. "No. I'm taking her to her home. Ladybug's parents will want to know. I am assuming that one of you know where we can find someone to help heal her?"

"Yeah." Carapace argued. "The hospital."

"Babe." Rena pointed out, quietly. "We can't take her there like this. It would be all over the news everywhere when her transformation drops. And even if people don't put it together, fear will spread because of the fact that Ladybug left someone injured."

Chat had been quiet, thinking hard, when he turned to Viperion, looking even more exhausted and shattered that he had moments before. "You said take her to HER house. You know who she is." Practically spitting the last three words, he added, "She told you."

Shifting the now unconscious Ladybug to a more comfortable position, he nodded his head, while denying Chat's statement. "I know who she is, yes, but she didn't tell me. I don't think she even realized I knew until I told her a few minutes ago that I was taking her home."

Rena glared at him. "And how exactly did you figure it out? I've been following her since the first time she appeared and even I don't know!"

Viperion shuffled his feet uncomfortably, but was saved by the beeping of various miraculous. "I'll explain fully later, but, well, we've been dating for almost two years. Once I met Ladybug, I knew she couldn't be anyone else."

Chat gasped, looking back and forth between Viperion and Ladybug, and the other three turned to him. He blushed, and shook his head, looking sad. "We should go. I can lead the way."

They followed, but Rena was asking questions the whole time. "Wait. You know who she is, too? I thought you two always claimed not to know who the other was. Why didn't you tell us? Does everyone know but me?"

Laughing bitterly, Chat called back to her over his shoulder. "I didn't know who Ladybug was. That part was never a lie. I do, however, know who Viperion is. And he's right. Ladybug couldn't be anyone else." Sighing, he landed on the balcony at the top of the Tom and Sabine Boulangerie-Patisserie. The 4 heroes dropped down into the alley beside the bakery.

Viperion lead the way inside. Fortunately the bakery was empty, being only a few minutes before closing time. Sabine Cheng looked up at her visitors and gasped. She asked Carapace to lock the door behind him, and was calling out for her husband as she ushered the small party into their living space.

Viperion set Ladybug gently down on the couch, and knelt next to it, stroking her hand. Carapace was comforting Rena who had been muttering a steady stream of 'No!'s ever since they landed on the bakery. Chat was pacing the floor by the fallen hero's feet. The beeps from various miraculous were coming much faster now, but it was Viperion's that ran out first in a flash of teal light, leaving Luka Couffaine kneeling beside Ladybug. Tom was on his knees beside him, his arm slung around the younger man's shoulders, looking down at the girl that they both would do anything for.

A couple of moments later, and a pink flash filled the room, confirming beyond a doubt that Ladybug was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Rena Rouge buried her face in Carapace's chest and remained that way as they reverted back into Alya and Nino. Chat was just staring around, chuckling disbelievingly to himself. When his miraculous gave its final beep, the green light flashed revealing Adrien Agreste. Alya, ever the reporter, looked up and goggled at him, shaking her head, wondering out loud how she never realized that two of her closest friends were the saviors of Paris.

Moaning, Marinette opened her eyes and blinked up at her friends, not entirely sure what was going on. Tikki was looking worse for wear as she lay curled on her chosen's stomach. Plagg flew over next to her, and called out to Adrien that Tikki was injured as well as Marinette. "You need to take her to the guardian. He can heal her. Adrien, will you take her?"

At these words, Marinette struggled to sit up, but was unable to feel or move anything below her waist. Luka moved to sit behind her and pulled her up to sit against his chest, gently kissing her hair and whispering in her ear, reassuring murmurings to help keep her calm. When she started coughing up more blood, Sabine grabbed a towel for her daughter to cough into, gently wiping her mouth and hands as Marinette caught her breath.

Nobody noticed that Tom had slipped from the room, until he returned with a variety of pastries, both sweet and savory. None of the kwami's complained if their favorite food was not present, they just took the closest they could find, and thanked the baker for thinking of them. Tikki remained unmoving, not stirring as Plagg threatened to eat all her chocolate chip cookies if she didn't open her eyes.

Scooping the little red kwami up in her hand, and hissing at the movement, Marinette stroked her head gently. Plagg flew over to sit next to Tikki, patting her gently. "Chaton, um, A-Adrien?" Marinette called, looking at her partner. Another coughing fit wracked her body as she struggled to get the words out. Sabine took the kwami from her hand, and Luka's large hand covered Marinette's tiny one as she held the rapidly reddening towel up to her face.

She smiled as brightly as she could at him. "I know this isn't how we planned to tell each other. I'm sorry."

Adrien shook his head. "Don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. We WILL figure out a way to fix this."

Marinette nodded, then regretted her action, groaning as it shot a spike of pain down her back. Luka ran his hand comfortingly down her arm, not letting her see the tears running down his face. "Take Tikki to Master Fu. If anyone can help her, it's him."

Plagg nodded. "We should go. Take Turtle Boy with us. We, uh, may need to leave the miraculous with their wielders for a while, but Master Fu will want to talk to Wayzz."

The boys nodded. Nino transformed first, having transformed in front of both Alya and Ladybug before, but Chat still hesitated, even as he chided himself that they all knew his identity now. Marinette smiled again and reached out to stroke his cheek. "It's OK, Kitty. You're safe here. Please."

Once again, the effort it took to speak made Marinette cough, and as she was gasping, trying to compose herself, Adrien pushed himself up, and called for his transformation. He took Tikki from Sabine, and cradled her close, pulling out his baton with his other hand. Nodding to Carapace, who squeezed Alya's hand, Chat led them up through Marinette's bedroom to the balcony, and they headed off to find the Guardian of the Miraculous.

Back downstairs in the living room, Marinette tried to get the others organized. "Luka I need you to go…" A cough cut her off, and Luka continued stroking her arms.

"Stop talking, Angel. I'm not going anywhere. And I know what you're going to say. Alya." He turned stormy blue eyes on her. "We're going to need you to help fulfill a promise. I need you to collect the miraculous from Queen Bee and Pegasus. We all know Queen Bee is Chloe. Marinette, who is Pegasus?"

With a sigh, that surprisingly did not lead to more coughing, Marinette smiled. "I can't believe I'm giving away all our secrets. Max is Pegasus."

Alya stared at her in shock. "Max _Kante_? But Pegasus is so smooth! And really? Max? Max!"

Marinette's laughter at her best friend's shock quickly devolved into coughs that shook her whole body. Luka wrapped both of his arms around her to keep her upright, knowing that if she folded herself over too much, she wouldn't be able to sit back up. Sabine quietly exchanged the soiled towel for a clean one, and Tom paced nervously, unable to settle on anything.

Once Alya recovered from yet another shocking reveal, she looked back at Marinette, who was slumped back, eyes closed, breath shallow. Luka's face was buried in his girlfriend's hair, tear tracks visible on his cheeks, and trying hard to keep himself together. Alya stood, walked to where they sat on the couch, and rested her hand on his shoulder. "She will be OK. She's strong. Stronger than I ever realized. I'll let them know Ladybug will be alright, and bring their miraculous back here."

Luka raised his eyes to meet hers. "Thank you Alya. I appreciate it. Marinette does, too."

Alya nodded and headed out the front door, preferring to head to the alley to transform, rather than risk being spotted leaping from the roof. The amount of superhero activity around the Dupain-Cheng's house was sure to attract attention.

After a few more minutes of inactivity and worry, Sabine turned to her husband, and suggested that they make dinner. Nothing fancy, just bread and soup, but it would give them something to do with their hands, as well as something to feed the hungry heroes when they returned, as she knew they would.

After checking in with Luka to see if he needed anything, and to stroke the cheek of her fitfully sleeping daughter, Sabine and Tom headed for the family kitchen. Their daughter being injured was something they had often worried about, and always breathed a sigh of relief, whenever they saw the red beetles cleansing the city. They'd been fairly certain that Luka was out there fighting by her side, but they talked about what could have happened in soft voices in the kitchen, knowing they'd get the answers eventually.

Cooking soothed Tom, and when Alya returned, he no longer had the aura of nervous energy, and enveloped his daughter's best friend in a bear hug. The boys returned several hours later, to find Tom, Luka and Marinette sleeping, and Sabine and Alya conversing softly. Nino looked hopeful, and Adrien opened his bag, allowing Plagg and a healthy Tikki to fly free. Floating over to her chosen, Tikki settled on her chest.

Opening his eyes, Luka smiled to see the kwami looking so healthy. Tikki smiled back at him. "I'm going to try and heal Marinette. She wouldn't let me earlier, when she was trying to heal the rest of Paris. You may feel warm, but nothing I do will hurt you."

The sound of the kwami's voice woke Tom, and everyone sat to watch Tikki work. A pink glow lit up her body, and she placed both arms against her chosen. The light glowed brighter, and a gentle wave of heat rolled off of Tikki, reminiscent of the sun warming the earth, coaxing the spring blooms out of their tight buds. Luka felt it, and the latent snake curled inside him rejoiced in the warmth.

Marinette let out a gasp, and then a moan, and reached for the blanket Sabine had placed over her, turning onto her side with a groan. "Five more minutes. Then I'll get up." Those words were such a relief that the whole room burst out laughing. Marinette sat bolt upright, narrowly missing smashing the top of her head on her boyfriend's nose. Catching sight of Tikki, she smiled and reached for the little red kwami nuzzling her, right as her stomach let out a loud rumble in her chosen's ear, causing Marinette to giggle, and Tom to snatch up the closest sweet treat and offer it to the little ladybug.

Marinette sat up and stretched and was surprised to see 5 hands being offered to help her to stand. With a smile, she grabbed Adrien's hand, and he pulled her to her feet before wrapping her in a hug. Laughing, Marinette reached up and scratched his head. "Hi Kitty." He smiled back at her, and she turned to help Luka up. He stretched, and then wrapped her in a hug as well, leaning down to rest his forehead against hers, holding her tight.

"I'm glad you're alright now, Angel, but please don't ever scare me like that again."

She smiled up into his eyes. "No promises, but that wasn't an experience I care to repeat." At that moment, Tom's stomach rumbled, and the whole group laughed as they headed to the kitchen for dinner, smiling because they were all together.


	16. Seconds and Decades

Seconds and Decades

_Author's Note: I wholeheartedly blame Icarus for this story..._

_Ep: Look, between the three of you, I've had to go to Costco _three times _this month to restock my Kleenex supplies. At this pace, I'll be a majority shareholder by New Year's Day._

_MR *silently holds out a roll of toilet paper*_

_Lyra: Pass it over._

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien and Marinette_

* * *

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The triumphant shout was accompanied by a swarm of the regenerative insects.

_**5 seconds to fix everything. 4:55 remaining. Crap**__._

"Pound it!" The duo called out in celebratory fashion.

_**2 seconds to celebrate. 4:53 remaining. Crap**_

She approached the young man, still clutching his action figure. "Hey, are you going to be ok?" He looked at her, his eyes wide. "what just happened?"

_**2 minutes 12 seconds to comfort the victim. 2:41 remaining. Crap.**_

And with that she was off. Ladybug felt her feet pound against the pavement. She listened to the sound, using it to ignore the burning in her lungs. Not 3 minutes ago she was running from a monster. Now she had to run again, this time to evade her 'friend'.

And it was all because the old man had finally gone senile.

She recalled the fateful afternoon that she and Chat Noir had met with Master Fu, allowing herself to be immersed in the moment that had just happened a few days prior.

The sun was shining, and Fu had come out of his kitchen, a tray of steaming tea in his hands.

"You two may have been wondering why I called you both here. The truth is, I had forgotten your birthdays a little while back. But I can now say with certainty that you are both at least 18 years old," Fu declared.

"Master," She interrupted,"should you really be telling u-"

Fu gave her a knowing look that instantly brought her to silence. "It's true, I have been quite insistent that your identities remain hidden, even from one another. But now that you are both adults, I think you'll be able to handle the responsibility… when you two are ready. What I mean to say is that if you two chose to share your true selves, or happen upon that information by chance, there will be no punishment so long as you can both handle that responsibility. "

_**37 seconds to have a flashback. 2:04 remaining. Crap.**_

Ladybug hadn't realized that she had slowed down while she recalled the events, but Chat's calls alerted her to her own delayed pace.

"Ladybug, you don't need to run off anymore. And definitely not any faster. Come back!"

She shook her head, even if he couldn't see her, then raced into an alleyway, only then realizing that this was a dead end. a second realization compounded on the first- Chat's voice was getting closer. There was no way Marinette would reveal her identity. She couldn't. Even the idea of anyone knowing made her sick. She had to hide.

_**19 seconds to find a hiding place. 1:45 remaining. Crap.**_

Ladybug dove into an open dumpster as Chat neared, holding her breath, both out of fear and to avoid the odor that was surrounding her.

"Ladybug, please. We've kept this a secret for over 5 years," Chat whined as he walked through the alley, glancing behind the large bin. He seemed to lurk there until Ladybug was nearly out of breath.

"I guess she lost me," he said dejectedly, cutting into Marinette's heart, even though she saw him as the villain of that moment.

_**1 minute 36 seconds of hiding. 9 seconds remaining. Crap.**_

Ladybug waited in silence until she transformed, then crawled out of the dumpster.

"Tikki, we made it, she whispered, sneaking out of the alley.

The Kwami disappeared as a voice called out to her.

"Marinette, were you in that alley?"

She froze, unable to look Chat in the eye.

"Um, noooo… uh… "she said, glancing at his feet. To her surprise were tennis shoes rather than black boots. She looked up and nearly fell over when she saw the blond.

"A-adrien!"

He beamed proudly, preparing to make a declaration of love. Though he had planned to have some fun with the reveal first.

"Yeah. Hey. By the way, Ladybug, have you seen Marinette? Chat is looking for her… I mean, switch that first part, unless you secretly are Ladybug?" He said, adding a sneaky wink.

To his astonishment, Marinette burst into tears.

The words tumbled out of Adrien's mouth reflexively, as if some primordial feelings had awoken inside of him.

"What's wrong? Are you ok? Tell me how to fix things, and I'll do it."

"I-I can't. It's a secret, and I can't tell anyone about it, and it's eating me from the inside!" She screamed.

Adrien pulled her close, letting the warm tears soak into his shirt.

"Just tell me what you can, and even if you can't tell me 99% of what's going on, I swear I'll make the 1% better. I'll do anything. Anything," he whispered into her ear, his voice trembling.

Marinette sniffled, then looked up into his green eyes. She couldn't help but notice a deep sense of adoration within them.

"Well, I'm part of a...a group of sorts. We work on some pretty confidential projects, and it's so secretive that the members of the group don't even know each other."

If Adrien hadn't known exactly what she was talking about, he probably would've assumed she was in some secret fashion designer thinktank. He couldn't help but admire her ability to share the truth with him without giving anything away.

"One of the senior partners in this group is getting really pushy about finding out my name. To him it probably feels like a Cinderella story. You know, find the girl who fits the glass slipper?"

Adrien looked at her in hurt surprise. "But he's not your Prince Charming, he's your Gaston, ready to hunt you down and claim you as his, at any cost?"

Marinette shook her head. "No. It's not that. I don't hate Cha- Chad. But, it hurts. And I don't know how I'll be able to face him, knowing he is secretly searching for my identity. I-I think I have to quit the tea-"

She pressed her face into his shoulder, using the fabric to suppress the gut wrenching sob that tore Adrien's very soul in half.

"Don't quit Mari. Please. I bet things will work out for you. I know they will," Adrien pleaded.

"But, I-I can't. I won't ever be able to look him in the eye again. I can't trust him. And-and what if I get someone hurt because of my feelings?"

Adrien hid the anguish of a person being ripped into a million pieces in a confident mask.

"Marinette, I need you to do me a favor. Swear to me that you'll do it," Adrien begged, as a plan came together in his mind.

She nodded into his shoulder, which gave him reason to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Marinette. Stick to your secret group for just a few more days. If it doesn't get better after that, than you can quit, but can you hold on for just a little longer?"

She nodded once more, this time more hesitantly.

Adrien felt his breath catch in his lungs as he dared to execute the first phase of his plan.

"Uhm…" he gasped, suddenly aware of what he was doing and how this would likely blow up in his face,"and there is something else…"

"Hmm?" Marinette grumbled into his chest.

The adorableness of it all made Adrien smile. Yes, this was his Ladybug, his Marinette. And he would do anything for her, even pay the price he knew would crush him. But before that, he had to make his first move.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He forced, hoping that he didn't sound too desperate.

"What?" Marinette asked as she finally looked up.

"Um, like I mean… I really care about you Marinette. And maybe I'm wrong, but I could maybe see a future for us. And I never want you to feel like you are stuck, alone, and forced to bottle up your emotions. I want to be there for you."

_"I'm going to pass out. I'm getting lightheaded, and I am definitely passing out if she doesn't say something now," Adrien thought._

"Ok. I'll be your girlfriend," she cooed into his ear.

Adrien couldn't have been happier, even though he knew he would likely be saying goodbye to Plagg for good. All was well.

A few hours had gone by since the tear filled conversation. Adrien had spent the time with his new girlfriend, announcing their new relationship to their parents. Tom had crushed Adrien in a fatherly bear hug, while Sabine had smiled at him like she was trying to tell her son she was proud of him.

A short trip brought the pair to Agreste mansion, and a short talk with Nathalie got them an equally short meeting with Gabriel. As she walked the couple to Mr. Agreste's office, Adrien could've sworn he heard her mutter "finally" under her breath.

The talk was surprisingly positive ending with Gabriel saying "I would have preferred that you found yourself an influential girl, Adrien. But I suppose a girl who is going to change the world of fashion is nearly as good as one who can right now."

And finally Adrien ended up alone in his room, telling Plagg his plan, and why it was absolutely necessary. The Kwami had argued, but ultimately agreed that for the first time in Chat Noir's career, he had thought a plan out before he acted. And so the pair enjoyed camembert as they silently watched the sun set.

It was nearly midnight when Ladybug reached the rooftop where Chat had texted her to meet.

"Chat, if you think I'll tell you my identity, you're wrong. In...fact… well.. nevermind for now, I'll tell you in a couple da-"

She stopped as she looked at the empty rooftop. As she turned to leave, she saw a twinkle next to her. By her feet lay a rolled up sheet of paper, held together by a glistening piece of metal.

She picked it up, and nearly dropped the shining metal as Plagg emerged from it. He sniffled, pulling back a tear, then laughed as if nothing had happened, then looked at Ladybug. "Got any camembert?"

She looked at the kwami in confusion. "Plagg, why did Chat leave his miraculous?"

The black cat returned to his zomber state. "Maybe you should read the letter… and Marinette, he reaaaaally loves you."

Ladybug unrolled the paper and began to read.

_"My Lady,_

_I realized that today I crossed a line. I went too far, because I decided it was ok, and at the same time, I think I hurt you. I know that I damaged our trust._

_At the time, I felt like it was a game, but now when allow my mind to drift, all I can see is the fear saturating your eyes._

_I know I hurt you, and that I damaged our trust, and I know that it could prove deadly to some poor Parisian. For that reason, I am officially turning over my ring to you. (Perhaps Viperion would make a good replacement)._

_I feel the need to clarify one thing to you though. I'm not retracting the way I feel about you, nor am I abandoning Paris. If you ever need me, I'll be at your side._

_After all, when a cat develops a bond, it's not easily broken. _

_Love,_

_Chat Noir"_

That night Marinette cried herself to sleep, sure that she would never see Chat Noir again.

Yet, as the hours turned to days Marinette moved on. She never forgot about Chat Noir, but she learned to seize happiness for herself.

She seized it on the day six months later when Adrien proposed (against the will of his father who said "19 is too young to get married"). It was supposed to be a beautiful proposal with Adrien kneeling at the dancefloor and asking her to take him forever, but ended up being at the emergency room's wait room after a clumsy 2 inch heel broke Adrien's little toe.

And she seized it a year and a half later when their first child was born. And again a year after that, and a third time 19 months after the second child.

It was 5 years after the wedding that Marinette nervously, yet proudly accepted the miraculous box from Master Fu.

Over a decade later, she claimed the joy in her life when she tearfully bid her oldest son goodbye as he headed off to University.

A few years later she proudly filled her heart with happiness as her only daughter married the boy of her dreams and lifelong best friend, Alex Lahiffe.

Marinette, 3 years afterward, found true warmth in her soul when her company took off after she had been told time and time again that someone who had been out of the fashion community for so long (especially to raise a family) could never find a way back in.

And now, Marinette at 47 years old found solace in the warmth of her bed, nestled up next to her wonderful (and incredibly exothermic) husband…

Until the nightmare hit.

Marinette woke with a scream, sending Adrien falling off of the bed.

"Mari, what's wrong?" He bellowed.

Marinette looked at the man she loved, the father of her children, and soon-to-be grandfather of her first grandchild, desperately wishing that she could tell him about her secret double life, why the neighbor girl would always show up at their house "collecting money for a school fundraiser" (always in the middle of an akuma attack), or why she never let anyone open her chest full of "expensive fabrics".

But even if she couldn't really tell him, Marinette realized that maybe in a little way she could share her secret fears. After all, that is what had brought them together.

"Adrien, I know this will sound weird," she began in the pitch black of the night," but do you remember the group I told you about some 30 odd years ago? The one I almost quit?"

Adrien smiled in the darkness. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, I just had a nightmare that my old partner died without ever finding who I was. And it scared me a little, because finally, after 3 decades I'm ready to tell him who I am. But now I don't have any way to get ahold of him. There is no way for me to thank him for his friendship, or let him know how my life turned out."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure Mari. I don't think Chat gave up on you so easily. After all, when a cat develops a bond, it's not easily broken," he said.

Marinette could almost hear her old partner's smile in the words. "Chat?"

"Yes, My Lady?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," Adrien replied.

And he knew it was true. Because no matter what, whether it was seconds after discovering her identity or decades later, he would always be there for his Marinette.


	17. Bros Before Hoes

_Author's Note: MR and Ep have had plenty of stories about the effects of tulips on our lady, but what if…. It was Chat who went a little on the loopy side?_

_Ep: In the annals of stories we've done in this vein, Lyra wins top marks. But now I understand why she wanted Ic and I to beta test her concept for her. Thank God Ic doesn't remember my having to call the fire department to get him down from the chandelier._

_MR: *sigh* I'm pretty sure she said beta READ not beta test…_

_Lyra: I'm not complaining, MR. These pictures for blackmail purposes are awesome. _

* * *

_Reveal: Adrien, Nino_

* * *

There were things dudes did for their bros without question, but Nino thought maybe this was crossing that line. Adrien, typically the paragon of behaviour excellence, was not only sprawled across the couch in Nino's living room but also rubbing his head on Nino's shoulder much like a cat.

Which kind of made sense, given that Chat Noir had been sitting there only moments before, caterwauling a song of love to one Miss Ladybug. It was still hard to mesh the idea of Adrien and Chat Noir as the same despite the rather intimate proof otherwise. Admittedly, Nino was fairly impressed with the fact that Adrien seemed able to purr even without the suit. He just wasn't overly keen on the whole face rubbing on shoulder thing.

Nino sighed, pushing Adrien from his overly invading displays of affection with an exasperated "Dude," which had little to no effect at all. Man, he hoped the heroine would be back soon.

When Ladybug had stumbled onto the balcony of his house, there had been a moment of anticipation as he hoped she was going to ask him to suit up. Instead, she had shoved Chat Noir at him, somehow managing to untangle herself from her partner's limbs and frantic cheek rubs with a simple explanation of "Catnip. Keep him safe here with you. Be right back." and then swung away.

Babysitting a cat boy high in some kind of aphrodisiac had definitely not been on his evening's to-do list. But here he was, Chat transformed to Adrien, far too snuggly for Nino's comfort.

Adrien's kwami seemed to find the whole thing particularly hilarious, even after Nino had found cheese in Adrien's shirt to feed him. Adrien's kwami was a dick, Nino decided, shoving the cheese at the laughing cat.

Nadja Chamack's commentary on the akuma that had left Chat incapacitated followed the red-spotted superheroine as she dodged and ducked around the garden tools that were being launched her way. Paris, it seemed, was covered in vegetation - plants and flowers and who knew what else springing up on every building and street. The Eiffel Tower looked like is was a parade float with the colourful roses that lined its steel beams.

"I need Ladybug," moaned Adrien, pressing his cheek against Nino's shoulder. The first set of coherent words his friend had spoken in nearly 20 minutes. Progress, Nino supposed, patting Adrien's head in what he assumed was comforting to a cat.

"It's cool, Dude. Look she's on TV."

Adrien's attention immediately snapped to the TV, pupils blown wider than Nino thought humanly possible. When Ladybug appeared on the screen again, the rumbling purr started restarted, but so much louder, followed by a keening sound that Nino could only label as animalistic.

"She needs me." Adrien jumped from the couch and was racing to the door before Nino could even react.

"Woah, Dude! Wait!"

Not that it mattered anyway. Adrien's kwami sat with a smug smirk on the coffee table, seemingly undisturbed that his chosen had just thrown himself down an apartment hall screaming that Ladybug needed him.

"He'll be back," Plagg drawled. "Have any more cheese?" Grabbing the cat and shoving him into his shirt, Nino wondered how Adrien hadn't strangled his kwami yet.

Running down the hallway to chase after his delusional best friend proved harder than he thought. Adrien had been Chat Noir for a long time, giving him amazing speed and dexterity as he barrelled up the stairwell at the end of the hall. Nino cussed under his breath, trying to catch up before anything dangerous happened - hearing the door that opened to the roof slam as Adrien flung it open.

Panic set in, a mental image of Adrien plummeting to his death off the side of Nino's apartment pushing him to take the last of the stairs three at a time.

"Adrien! Wait!" When his shouts went unheard, Nino tried a new tactic. "Come on, Plagg - he's gonna jump off the freaking roof!" His feet still running towards where Adrien had been, Nino poked at Plagg in his shirt. Plagg just snorted.

"Doubtful."

Nino wasn't prepared when his body slammed hard into Adrien's suddenly still one. The resulting tumble was harsh, painful even, as they fell on the rough surface of the rooftop. Landing awkwardly side by side, Nino lay gasping for air, trying to figure out what exactly had just happened.

Adrien spoke first.

"Where are we?" He sounded confused. Understandably so, thought Nino, pushing himself to sit. The dude probably last remembered being a superhero fighting an akuma and now he was sitting on a rooftop without his supersuit beside his friend. Nino guessed the catnip had worn off, leaving Adrien lost.

"My house?" It shouldn't have sounded like a question, but it was. Adrien frowned, looking down on his hands as if he was trying to piece together an unsolvable riddle.

"This is going to sound strange, but…" a pause "how did I get here?"

Nino swallowed hard.

"Uh, Ladybug dropped you off."

Adrien went pale, his eyes wide as he stared at his best friend.

"Ladybug?"

Deciding truth was better than a convoluted mess, Nino explained the whole scenario - leaving out the details about overly affectionate shoulder rubs with a cheek - and how he'd changed back into Adrien while in the safety of Nino's house. Adrien stayed an uncomfortable shade of white while he listened.

"Does Ladybug know?" he finally whispered.

"No, Dude, no. I promise. She went back out there to fight the akuma as soon as she left you with me. She doesn't know." Adrien let out a long breath before looking over the edge of the building at the greenery still growing at a crazy rate.

"Plagg?" Nino wasn't sure how the little creature hadn't been flattened in their fall, but Plagg appeared, aloof and uninjured, floating to Adrien's side as if he deserved to be there. "What happens if I get too close to catnip again?"

"Who knows?" shrugged the kwami. "You could be fine for a bit or you could get all lovey-dovey again. You aren't really a cat, you know, so it's hard to be sure." Adrien groaned, unsure of what to do.

Nino sighed.

"Fine. Take me with you. I'll try to help you out, Dude. Bros before Garden Hoes."

Adrien visibly relaxed, holding out a fist for their usual bro-style fist bump. It was still surreal to see Adrien transform into Chat Noir - the bright green flash of light changing goodie-two-shoes Agreste into a cocky, bad-boy style cat. Nino shook his head in disbelief.

"You can't tell anyone. Especially Alya. Do you understand?"

"Dude, no way. I value life way more than that. Your life especially. Alya might kill you." Chat Noir chuckled, turning his back and gesturing for Nino to hop on. Figuring all sense of bro rules had flown out the window with this whole experience, Nino just did what he was told, hoping that maybe some of it would be erased from his memory one day.

Ladybug was tired, even Nino could see her drooping between yo-yo throws. Chat growled - a real effing growl - when he saw his partner fumble a throw and nearly get impaled by a flying spade shovel.

Nino found himself dumped unceremoniously on the grass without a word as Chat vaulted himself away to her side. The battle between the disgruntled gardener and the superheroes seemed to take longer than Nino expected. Garden tools and plant life everywhere. In truth, Nino wasn't sure what catnip even looked like. Chat seemed ok, mostly. Other than the occasional stumble and distracted look on his face.

A lucky charm and a cataclysm managed to somehow free the black butterfly so Ladybug could purify it and set everything back to normal.

Nino watched as Chat Noir inched closer and closer to Ladybug, unable to tell if the cat's behaviour was normal or not. Ladybug's exasperated expression was visible from across the park.

"Down kitty, or I'll give you back to Nino."

That was his cue, Nino figured, running across the square just in time to stop Chat from rubbing his face all over Ladybug's head. The whimper that Chat gave when pulled away from his lady was pathetic.

"My laaaadddyyyy," he cried. Her earrings beeped and she frowned, obviously hesitant to leave.

"I've got this, LadyDude. Don't worry."

The smile on Ladybug's face was pure relief.

"Thank you, Nino."

Somehow, Nino managed to drag Chat Noir into an alley and order him to transform. Ignoring Plagg's whines for cheese, Nino wrapped an arm around his friend to hold him upright, praying that no paparazzi would see the cheek rubs on his shoulder. The media would have a field day with that.

Accepting his fate as guardian of the drugged up boy behind the black cat, Nino braced himself. Back to couch cuddles. The things bros do for each other.


	18. Teenage Nightmare Before Christmas

_Author's Note: Earlier this year, I wrote a story dealing with the aftermath of the events in _Puppeteer 2_. Entitled _No Strings_, the final chapter gave us a peek at a middle-aged version of Chat Noir and Ladybug - married, with kids, and still fighting villains in the City of Love. At the time, I'd not considered whether their kids would know that their super-nerdy parents were also the Heros of Paris… and then thought what trouble I could make if it were Christmas…_

_Please note: __**the characters have been aged up to consenting adults**_ _(with kids! Did I mention they had kids?!), so you've been warned. What happens beyond this author's note was completely, and totally, out of my control. (That's what happens when you let Chat have access to your laptop for an afternoon.)_

_**Spoiler Alert**__: There are some Season 3 spoilers ahead. If you haven't completed that season, you might want to skip ahead and return later. Just sayn'._

_MR: Geez… I don't even know how to follow that. I'm just gonna blame Ep for everything and run… since he's the one who wrote it. _

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette and Adrien_

* * *

It was Christmas Eve in Paris, and as had become traditional for us, Ladybug and I had done our special patrol to ensure no villainous shenanigans waylaid Santa Claus from his appointed rounds. We were on a first name basis with the Chief Elf these days, considering how many times we'd come to his aid over the years; fortunately, this year had been blissfully quiet.

As was also traditional, it was snowing heavily. That didn't stop me from chasing Ladybug across the rooftops of Paris on our way home, dashing and leaping around each other much as we had since the beginning. We were no longer brash young teens, as evidenced by the streaks of silver in my wild mane, but donning our superhero personalities seemed to bring back that exuberance at least _one_ of us had back then.

We skidded to a stop at the edge of a favored perch, and I picked her up in my arms in a massive hug. Ladybug shrieked good naturedly, squirming around until she could face me to kiss me properly as I set her back down. "Another successful night," I purred. "As is any night with you, Milady."

"The evening is young, kitty," she laughed as she jingled my bell. "There might yet be trouble."

"I'm furrvently hoping the current Hawkmoth is willing to give us the night off."

"May your hopes prove out," she laughed, then turned to press her back into my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her waist as the two of us considered the Eiffel Tower off in the distance. The lights were on still, even at the late hour - a cheerful reminder of the rapid approach of the holiday. "I love this view, and I love sharing it with you, Bug."

"Same here, Chat," she sighed. "But we'd better get home."

I nodded into her hair. "It was a stroke of genius having the kids stay with grandmama tonight," I said as I surreptitiously took in the exotic scent of my partner. Motherhood had subtly adjusted the notes I associated with her, adding a hint of cinnamon to the normal mixture of vanilla and sugar.

"I've tried to use that card sparingly," she said. "If we use her _too_ frequently, she'll put two-and-two together and come up with Chat and Ladybug."

I nodded again, though I privately suspected that Sabine was well aware of our nocturnal carousing and had quietly accepted it many years ago. "All right, let's go rescue your mom."

Ladybug tossed her yo-yo into the air, a fluid movement driven by her years of using the device; she sailed into the snowy night, and I leapt up into the darkness behind her. Quickly we worked our way across the city to the Bakery, and dropped nearly silently one after the other in the alleyway next to it. A moment later, Marinette used her key to let us into the residence where we found Sabine zonked out on the couch, our three daughters snuggled up against her. The twins, both newly-minted teenagers, were on either side, with our eight-year-old curled on Sabine's lap.

"Hey," Marinette said softly as she shook Sabine.

Her mom was as beautiful as ever, though her dark hair was now white. Sabine cracked an eye and smiled. "Finished saving the world then, dear?" she said quietly.

Marinette and I shared a quick look; both of us were flushing slightly. "Maman-" my wife started.

"It's okay, honey," she whispered. "Your secret is safe." She shifted slightly, handing our youngest to Marinette. "All three of them took forever to get to sleep. Why don't you let them stay tonight?" she asked. "The two of you could use some couple time. But be back for brunch."

I looked to Mari. "Are you sure, Sabine?" I whispered. "They're going to be nuts in the morning."

"I am."

"Okay," I said. "We'll bring the presents back with us and do everything here tomorrow."

Sabine smiled wider as only a grandmother could. "Take her up to your old room, dear," she said to Marinette, who had Elena on her hip. "I made the beds up for them just in case you said yes."

I smiled. "How long have you been planning this?"

"Since last Christmas," she laughed. "Now off with you."

We climbed the steps I knew so well and found that two rollaway beds were in Marinette's old room, in addition to her original loft bed. Carefully, she tucked Elena into one of the rollaways, then pointed to the skylight. Nodding, I followed her up and onto the Bakery rooftop patio, a place we'd spent many enjoyable hours together. We transformed together and returned to the townhouse we now called home.

Much like the Bakery, it had a rooftop patio that led directly to the master bedroom; it had been an intentional architectural decision, allowing the two of us to come and go undetected by our kidlets. It had been a little tricky balancing the kids and super-hero duties, but fortunately a kindly, wizened Asian acquaintance of ours tended to drop in unannounced right when we needed him. The kids loved Uncle Fu, though they had seen less of him once the twins were old enough to be alone for periods on their own.

We landed on the patio together, and I followed her into our bedroom. Feeling a bit frisky, I tackled her onto the bed before she had a chance to de-transform. "Chat!" she cried out with a chuckle. "What are you doing? We've got to pack up the presents!"

I wrapped myself around her, and allowed my tail to snake itself around her ankle. "I'm snuggling with my wife," I explained. "It's Christmas Eve, after all."

"Let me release Tikki and we can do it properly," she said into my chest.

My masked eyes gleamed wickedly. "We've not spent the night transformed in a while, Milady," I purred. "I could make it worth your while…" I added, kicking the purring into a higher gear.

"Chat-"

I started to rub the side of my face into her, and purred even louder. I knew I was wearing her down, and soon she stopped protesting and instead snuggled deeper into me. "You are incorrigible," she said happily. "But we should really do this properly."

Some basal feline instinct had taken ahold of me, enough that I'd not really understood what my wife was saying. Eyes closed, I was drawing expanding circles around her yo-yo at her hip with a claw tip when I heard her mutter something and then the louder pop-and-crackle of her dropping her transformation. Startled, my masked eyes popped open to see Marinette on her side, wide smile on her face and devilish look in those deep blue eyes. "This is the way it started, if I recall correctly."

My paw went to her hair, and I pushed back her bangs. "Well, Princess," I said, reverting to my pet name for her civilian persona, "technically you still wore pigtails back then," I reminded her wistfully. "But I can make do. Plagg - cla-"

"No," Marinette whispered quickly, putting a finger to my lips. "You stay as Chat."

My masked eyes widened, partly with surprise but more with a tinge of panic, for certain bodily responses had begun to make themselves known - responses that were incapable of being addressed while transformed. I tried to shift slightly to relieve the pressure and realized Marinette had positioned herself in such a way as to prevent movement.

"Milady," I said, slightly desperately, "I'm not sure you understand the situation…"

"If I recall," she cackled evilly, "I believe this was _your_ suggestion in the first place."

"When I said 'we-'" I started to reply before gasping slightly at her unexpected touch in a rather sensitive area, masked eyes flying as wide as felinely possible.

"I know," she cackled evilly. "And you also appear to have forgotten one key component."

"I… oh, wow… I did?" I said, struggling a bit to stay focused while under her ministrations, for my devious wife had snuck her other hand up to an ear and had started to gently rub it between her fingertips.

"Yeah," she said as she moved to a feline ear and whispered: "the suits _still_ don't come off."

I groaned. "_Now_ you remind me." I closed my eyes in bliss, and knew the purring was threatening to overwhelm the conversation. "I'm putty in your hands."

"And don't you forget it, kitty," she laughed as she released my ear and curled into my chest, head just under my bell.

My purring ramped back up and I wrapped my black-cladded arms around my wife, reveling in the moment. The more basal feline instincts kicked in and I growled just a bit as I flipped her around; she let out a bit of a happy yelp as her head sunk into the pillow, then pulled me down to her by the bell. She was just beginning to place her lips against mine when it was her turn to gasp; her startled eyes locked to my feline green ones. Momentarily breathless, she whispered: "Careful with those claws, kitty… I like these jeans…"

"Then you should have stayed transformed, too," I said evilly as I slowly repaid her earlier ministrations tenfold.

Sabine was right - we didn't often get solo adult time these days, so any stolen interludes were welcome. At length, as we drifted off to sleep snuggled together in comfortable exhaustion, I found myself purring contentedly as I held Marinette in my arms on this special night.

I awoke with a start to someone shaking my shoulder. Groggily, I tried to blink my eyes open. "Mari? What's wrong?"

"Chat?" a very familiar voice said. "Why are you and Mom in my parent's bed?"

Both masked eyes snapped open. Marinette was still snuggled into me and gently snoring; turning, I saw one of the twins hovering on my side of the bed. "Juliette?"

Her eyes widened, emphasizing my mistake. "How do you know who I am? How did you get in here? Where's Dad?"

Swallowing slightly, I nudged Marinette awake. Hero of Paris or not, there was no way I facing our daughter without backup. Mari's eyes flew open, immediately saw Juliette, and then looked back at me. As she slid out of my embrace and subtly buttoned her blouse, I could read her expression clear as day: _What do we do now?_

"Aren't you supposed to be at your grandmothers?" I asked, sternly.

"Yes," Juliette replied. "Are you having an affair with Mom?"

"No!" I said a bit too quickly, raising a paw in defense. "I mean, this isn't what it looks like."

"Really," she said, arching an eyebrow at me in a familiar expression and then turned to train her glare at Marinette.

Marinette slid to the side of the bed. "Chat's a dear… friend," she said, casting a humorous glance at me. "I've known him since I was your age."

Juliette looked at me. "He's in your bed. With you."

"Yes - well, uh," Marinette started, and I saw the flush begin to creep up her face much like it once had back in our school days. "Chat, uh, knows your father, too."

"You do?" she asked, turning her green eyes on me. Not for the first time did I realize she was an amazing blend of the two of us.

"Yes," I said. "He's… had to…" I drowned as I flicked a glance back at Marinette.

"Check on something back at his office," Marinette helpfully suggested. "He asked Chat to guard our Christmas Tree."

"Exactly," I said, though my look to Marinette was more on the order of _Really? That's the best you've got?_ "And seeing as though cats love trees, I was purrfect for the job."

Juliette's eyes went wide. "Is there something special about our tree?"

"Yes," I said, floundering for an explanation. "Santa left something very special this year, and your parents wanted to make sure no… akuma… took it." My feline eyes flicked to Marinette again. "They've helped Ladybug and I a ton of times over the years. I'm happy to return the favor."

"But you're in their bed," she persisted.

"I was just testing it," I said hastily and then realized it wasn't helping. I looked to Marinette, pleading for help with my eyes, then turned back.

Arching that eyebrow again, Juliette fixed her gaze on me. "Are you two a couple?" she asked baldly. "Aunt Alya says you used to be. Before Dad married Mom."

"Did she?" I asked, narrowing my eyes and making a mental note to talk to Mari's best friend at some point. She'd made quite the fuss years ago when she'd first found out about Marinette dating Chat Noir. I'd hoped the photos were long gone from the Ladyblog but now wondered.

"Actually, young lady, why aren't you at your grandmother's house?" Marinette asked, trying to derail the runaway train I was on.

Juliette returned the narrowed eyes. "Grandmama sent me. You and Dad were supposed to come for brunch."

I pulled out my baton, belatedly realizing why my back was aching in that spot as I did so. Popping open the phone I could see we were very, very, very late.

"Princess..." I started, showing her the phone display.

Her beautiful blue eyes rolled at me, her look saying _I told you this was a bad idea_. "Well, honey, I'm not sure when Dad will be back."

"Can I wait with you?" our daughter asked as she climbed up onto the bed.

I shot a glance at Marinette. "I'm not sure-" I started, feeling somewhat helpless.

"Actually, Chat was just leaving," Marinette said, gently but firmly nudging me off the bed. "Weren't you, Chat?"

"Yes, right," I said, sliding off the bed and standing, baton in one paw. "There are other Christmas Trees in danger that I need to check on," I added, ignoring my partner's eye roll.

"Thank you, Chat," Marinette said formally, a smile teasing at the corner of her lips. "Our… tree… was in good hands."

"My pawlesure, Milady," I replied automatically before seeing Marinette grimace.

Juliette turned toward me again. "Don't you call Ladybug that?"

"Call her what?" I asked innocently as I slowly walked backwards toward the french doors and escape, desperately hoping my daughter wasn't as smart as I knew her to be.

"You called her 'Milady,'" she said. "According to the Ladyblog, that's your pet name for Ladybug."

"Really?" I laughed nervously, running a paw to the back of my neck. "I had no idea."

Narrowing her eyes, she looked to Marinette, and both of us could see the wheels turning. "Mom, are you…?" she started, before turning back to me and looking at me differently. "Dad?" she asked, a smile starting. "Oh my God. My parents are-"

"Honey," Marinette said quickly, "this is a very, _very_ important secret."

"You are!" she squealed. "This is _insane_."

I moved to Juliette and put my paws on her shoulders after seeing Marinette nod at me. "We've been Ladybug and Chat Noir since we were your age, mon cherie," I said. "While I think you and your sister are probably old enough now to handle the truth, I need you to understand how serious this is."

Juliette looked at me. "Do we have to tell-"

"Yes," Marinette said. "And you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone." She looked to me. "_Especially_ Aunt Alya."

I knelt down to be at her height. "This is really important, Jules," I said, my masked eyes connecting with hers. "No one can know who we are - it's how we've been able to keep our friends and family safe all these years. You're part of that inner circle of trust, now, so both your mother and I are depending on you to keep our secret. Can you do that?"

She nodded. "You can count on me, Dad," she smiled. "Chat," she corrected.

"Good," I laughed as I leaned up to kiss her on the cheek. "Now, let's go get those presents and head back to the Bakery."

"Can I ask a question?" Juliette prompted as I stood.

"Of course."

"Can I have a kwami?" she asked.

Marinette's eyes widened. "How do you know-"

"Aunt Alya," Juliette replied. "It's on her blog. And she says you - well, Ladybug - give them out to new team members when you need to." She looked at my wife expectantly. "Can I? I'd be a great superhero!"

"It doesn't exactly work that way," I laughed. "And you're too young, anyway."

"You just said you were _my _age when you became Chat, Dad," she reminded me, cocking her head much the way I did when I disagreed with Ladybug.

"She has a point, Milady," I said, laughing.

"Absolutely not," Marinette said.

"But Mom-"

"No," she said firmly. "Now, head down to the living room, young lady, and wait for us."

"Can Chat carry me back to the Bakery?" Juliette asked. "Like he-"

"_No_," Marinette thundered in full Ladybug.

Juliette frowned and let us know how annoyed she was with the answer by stomping out of the master suite and down the steps to the lower floor. I turned to my wife and pulled her into my arms. "That was nowhere close to what I expected it would be like when we finally came clean to our kids," I said.

"I know," Mari sighed as she pressed her head to my chest. "And now I have another set of worries to deal with."

"They can handle it," I said confidently. "They're _us_, after all."

"But—"

"It's you and me against the world," I reminded her. "Much like it has always been. We'll do it together." I smiled slyly though as my masked eyes fell on her polka-dotted Miraculous Box hiding in plain sight with her knitting materials. "I might suggest moving that to a safer location, though."

"Good point," she laughed. "And I'll have Wayzz remind the other kwamis to be a bit more circumspect from this point forward."

"All right, Mistress Guardian. Shall we get on with Christmas?"

"Yes kitty," she said after kissing me. "And then we'll have a nice, long chat with my parents and our eldest daughters."

"Do we have to tell your Dad?" I mewled. "I think he still has some lingering issues with Chat."

"He'll be fine," she laughed. "Just laugh at his dad jokes and all will be forgiven."

"I can do that," I replied as I kissed her hair. "I can _totally _do that."


	19. Going to the Chapel

_Author's note: MR: Would you look at that! I CAN write fluff! Who knew that Ladybug announcing her engagement to her fellow superheroes would out her civilian identity. _

_Lyra: No one even got hurt. I'm shocked. (Other than my heart…) _

_Ep: No one in the *story* - I'm with Lyra, though. There's a Miraculous Support Group meeting every Tuesday… I think I'm gonna have to join after this one._

_Ic: Hi, I'm Icarus, and I'm a miraculer.*sniffles* I've just been crying a lot from the fanfiction lately._

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette/Adrien/Alya/Nino/Luka/Alix_

* * *

It had been several years since Hawkmoth had been defeated, but new menaces had arisen and terrorized Paris in his stead, and the expected revel had yet to happen. Ten years since Ladybug met her partner, Chat Noir, and they've shared so much in that time. They are best friends, and nobody can imagine a world without the two of them. Over the years, they added four other permanent team members: Rena Rouge, Carapace, Viperion and Bunnix, but Chat and Ladybug, would always be seen as the city's saviours.

Ladybug and Chat developed a close bond as the years wore on, sharing more details about their lives with each other than they probably should have, although names have always been disallowed. They know each other better than almost anyone else, have shared love and loss, and talked over all the major events in each other's lives, happiness and heartbreak. They had a long talk two days ago, resulting in tears, the happy kind, pouring down both of their faces.

The six superheroes rarely gathered together all in one place, not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves, but for something like this, Ladybug felt it was necessary. She was the first to arrive, having shown up early, with a box of treats from everyone's favorite bakery, that nobody needed to know that she'd baked herself for the occasion.

One by one, the others arrived. Bunnix unsurprisingly was the first, and she gave Ladybug a knowing smile, all of her travelling through time had shown her much of what the present holds, and she radiated the feeling that she knew why the heroes were gathering on this roof.

Chat arrived next, all restless energy and smiles. He, too, knew the reason for the gathering. Rena Rouge and Carapace arrive together, surprisingly still great friends; the years since their breakup only cementing their friendship, as both have moved on to other things. Rena storming her way through an investigative reporting internship, while Carapace prefered to spend his time behind the camera.

Finally, Viperion arrived, all quiet smiles, radiating calm and tranquility, hiding the energy that coiled, snake-like inside. Needing an outlet, he strummed absentmindedly at his lyre, the soft notes a soothing background for the gathering.

What had started years ago as Ladybug and Viperion meeting up after an intense battle, so that he could vent to her about the horrific things he had witnessed before using Second Chance and abandoning those timelines with less than favorable outcomes, had quickly become a form of group therapy, where they would meet in twos and threes to talk about things that were bothering them, whether on the battlefield, or in their personal lives, knowing that they would always have an understanding, non-judgemental ear to listen to them. Viperion and Bunnix, the two heroes that dealt with time, were usually the most in need, having witnessed things that nobody else remembered, and soon set up ways to contact each other if they needed to talk about time-sensitive matters.

As they all took up comfortable positions around the roof, Rena launched into a lecture about her topic du jour, her latest passion project. Bunnix smirked as Rena talked, and Ladybug shifted restlessly as she waited for her turn to share. As the fox hero paused to take a breath, Ladybug blurted out, "I'm getting married!" Her face blushed bright red, but her smile was lit from within, happiness radiating off of her in waves.

Totally forgetting what she'd been ranting about only moments before, Rena sat there open mouthed. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Ladybug and Chat, causing Chat's smile to grow larger, and his eyes to twinkle, but Carapace was the first to break the silence. "Congratulations, Ladybug. We're very happy for you, but isn't this a little, uh, sudden?"

Chat snorted. "Eight years." He turned to Ladybug for confirmation, and continued at her nod. "Eight years is hardly sudden."

Rena's eyes were practically bugging out of her head. "You two have been together for eight years, and you never told us!" Ladybug made frantic calming motions in order to quiet her friend's screech.

"Yes. I've been with my fiance for eight years." Ladybug glowed at the word. "But no, it isn't Chat. We're partners and best friends. I do love him, and thanks to our miraculous, we will always be linked, but we've never been romantically involved."

"So… tell us about him." Bunnix grinned mischievously, the twinkle in her blue eyes growing teasing. Ladybug looked around the loosely formed circle, receiving enthusiastic agreement from Rena and Carapace, a wide smile from Chat and a quiet nod from Viperion.

A pink blush shaded her cheeks, but her eyes were sparkling with happiness. "He is wonderful! He has an amazing spirit. I feel so much more creative when I am with him, but at the same time, I feel grounded and safe. He is patient, I mean, with me, you really have to be, and talented, and he is the calm to my crazy. I couldn't imagine my life without him."

"Does he know about this? Did you tell him? Will we ever get to meet him?" Rena asked, unable to hold back her questions.

Ladybug's eyes dropped to the ground before she looked around the group. "Yeah, he knows. He figured me out fairly early on in our relationship. He didn't tell me he knew for a long time, and the guilt over ditching him at every akuma attack really ate at me." Her eyes were firmly fixed on the ground. "For a while there, I was fairly certain that Hawkmoth was targeting us whenever we went out on a date."

The group chuckled appreciatively, all of them had dates spoiled by akuma attacks, but how their date reacted was a pretty good indicator as to whether they should keep seeing someone or not.

Bunnix was flat out smirking when she asked her next question. "So… what does Mr. Wonderful do? Or is that too personal? Is he famous?" She drew out the last word in a sing-song voice.

"Bunnix!" Viperion growled from beside her.

"'Rion." She mocked him, dropping her voice to mimic his tone.

"Can we meet him? Please at least point him out to us! Are we invited to the wedding?" Rena begged, part of her mind cataloging the interaction between the Time Twins, as she had mentally dubbed them. 'Looks like Viperion's got a soft spot for the Bug.' she thought. Then mentally rolled her eyes at herself. Everyone had a soft spot for the bug.

They'd all grown up since getting their miraculous, but Ladybug in particular had matured from a pretty girl to a stunning young woman, luminous blue eyes, silky black hair, still pulled up in twin tails, and an athletic, feminine body, that her suit failed to disguise. There had been a few fights about it in her later teen years, where there were inappropriate comments thrown at her, and the other miraculous wielders had jumped to her defense.

Ladybug smiled again. "Well, that's another part of why we're here."

Rena whipped her head around, obviously expecting Ladybug's fiance to step out from behind something up there on the roof. Ladybug laughed out loud at Rena's eagerness.

"You see… he has to leave town soon for a little while, which is why we're getting married now, before he goes." She looked around, making eye contact with everyone, as the blush started to creep up her neck. "So, we'll have one less team member to lean on while he's gone."

Chat, Rena and Cap started at that news, eyes trained on Ladybug's face, her grin turning mischievous now. She smiled at everyone, Bunnix smirking back, her delight in everyone else's shocked reactions just as obvious as Ladybug's.

A throat clearing snapped everyone's head around. "Yeah, so I have this work thing that is taking me out of Paris for the better part of a year. We've talked about it, Bug and I, and there isn't a good way for me to be able to stay a part of the team while I'm gone. Maybe when I come back." He shrugged. "I've got a few months before I leave, but, yeah, this is the official goodbye."

Every eye was on Viperion as he made his little speech, so nobody noticed the quiet pride radiating from Ladybug as he bade his teammates goodbye. They had decided that he would just slip away one day, so that nobody would connect Viperion stepping down with Luka going on tour. Rena smiled to herself, thinking 'Guess it's more than just a soft spot for her. They hid it really well. I would never have suspected.'

Chat's head was turning back and forth between Viperion and Ladybug, the shock etched on his face much deeper than it should be at Viperion's quiet revelation. He'd known that his partner had been dating someone quiet and steady, and she'd told him about the proposal a few days ago. What truly shocked him was who he now saw when he looked at Ladybug. "Marinette?"

The strangled whisper seemed to echo around the roof as the others all turned to look at Ladybug. She turned to her partner, color draining from her face. "Wha-?"

He smiled at her and started to laugh. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng? All this time?"

Bunnix sat back, watching the entertainment play out, while Viperion, so quickly nobody saw him move, stepped to his fiance's side, putting an arm protectively around her.

Rena was reeling. If Marinette was Ladybug, which she had to be, all the pieces fit perfectly, then that meant that Viperion was Luka, and he was leaving to go on tour. That also meant, "Oh my goodness! I'm going to Ladybug's wedding!" she squealed, quivering with excitement.

Carapace was focused on what was going on in front of him. Chat didn't seem threatening in any way, but he had been very unpredictable for almost a year after Hawkmoth's defeat, swinging from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, with very little warning as to which side was going to show. Ladybug could defend herself, he knew, and with Viperion at her side, he wasn't really needed, but Chat's behavior was worrying him. Just how had he figured her out?

Ladybug must have been thinking along the same lines, because she choked out, "How?"

Shaking his head, Chat managed to control his slightly manic laughter. "Because of Viperion. I was there when you gave him the miraculous that first time. After I failed you."

"You never fai-'' She broke off, and sucked in a breath, realization dawning in her eyes. "Adrien?" She asked on an exhalation. When he nodded, she finished her original thought. "You never failed me, Kitty. I needed both of you. I couldn't be Ladybug without Chat Noir… and that is why we didn't succeed."

"If we're going to do this properly, do you want to move the festivities to our place?" Viperion asked, referencing the apartment that his alternate ego shared with Marinette. When she nodded, he looked at her quizzically. "Does everyone know the way?" When she nodded again, he stepped to the railing, pausing when he heard a voice behind him.

Rena was holding the box of cookies reverently. "You baked these, didn't you, Ladybug? I'm eating cookies baked by Ladybug!"

Before she could start squealing with joy again, Ladybug said flatly, "You've eaten treats that I've baked for you on a very regular basis for the past 10 years. All of you have. These are no different."

Shaking her head, as everyone else chuckled, they all left the roof and headed along separate routes for Marinette and Luka's top floor apartment, landing on the balcony off of the small living, and heading inside. Marinette was the first to arrive, dropping her transformation and heading to the kitchen to gather more snacks for hungry friends and kwamis. She laid out a platter of everything from cookies to camembert, eggs to eclairs, and was setting the plate on the table as Viperion dropped in.

He shed his transformation, and put his arms around Marinette, dropping his forehead to rest against hers, his hands settling at her waist. "Are you ok with all this, Mari?"

She took a shuddering breath and nodded. "Secrets can't last forever, and it will be nice not to have to be quite so professional in the suits." Waggling her eyebrows at him, she grinned as he barked a laugh, even as the blush stole up his neck. He'd just leaned in to kiss her, when Bunnix landed, calling out, "Get a room you two!"

Swatting at her half heartedly without looking up, Luka mumbled, "I've got a room. You're standing in it."

Laughing as she danced away from them, she plopped down on the couch. The others arrived in rapid succession, and made themselves at home, somewhat more nervously than they had in visits as their civilian selves to the apartment.

"So, as some of you know, I am not only Ladybug, I am also the Guardian of the Miracle Box. If you see kwamis flying around here, don't worry. That's normal. They know to hide whenever we have guests, but when they sense the presence of other kwamis, they are often curious, and want to say hello to friends they miss."

Luka flopped into an armchair, and dragged Marinette down to sit on his lap. She looked around at their living room full of superheroes, and then at her fiance. "I don't know about you, but I'm starting to feel a bit underdressed."

Everyone laughed, and Chat grinned up at her, the tension in the room broken. "Well, I guess since you already know...:" His transformation dropped and Plagg dove straight for the cheese tray, scooping up a large chunk of camembert, tossing it into his mouth.

Any remaining tension in the room dissolved, and Rena looked around. "I promise that none of this is going on the blog." She grinned and released her transformation, and her kwami sailed over to the plate, snatching at his favorite foods, before Trixx disappeared into the other room, promising to fetch the other kwamis. Carapace dropped his transformation with a shrug and a smile, and reached over and hugged his best friend, the black cat.

After much back thumping and promises to talk later, all eyes turned to Bunnix. She sat, perched in the other armchair like a queen surveying her territory. Grinning, she shrugged. "What? I'm mysterious!"

Marinette rolled her eyes at her. "Yeah. Except you forget that Chat and I know who you are. And that Fluff is going to be pissed if you don't let her out to play with the others."

Adrien snorted a laugh at Bunnix's exasperated huff. "Fine. You guys win." She dropped her transformation with a grin, and Alix sat there as Fluff flew off to join the others. The six friends sat and talked late into the night, about weddings and tour dates, memories and how they should have guessed who the others were.

One by one they headed home, to lives and lovers who knew nothing of their super-suited antics, knowing that they would always be welcome in Ladybug's home, as well as the homes of others who knew their secrets.

Once they were alone again, Luka turned to Marinette, pulling her close, and kissing her temple. "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

She nodded against his chest as she cupped his cheek. "I wouldn't change a single thing."


	20. The Breakup

_Author's Note: Ic here. So I wrote another reveal. Will it be one of the happy ones? A sad one? Time for a game of reveal roulette._

_Ep: Has anyone seen Icarus? There's a €1,500 charge on my credit card from some Asian restaurant in Paris. I'm a bit perplexed - he said he needed cash for research._

_MR: Ep? Are you the one who ordered an extra helping of Marichat?_

_Ic: Ep, that was for… "Educational Purposes" , don't worry about it. MR, when does Ep not order extra MariChat. I think we have an addict on our hands._

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette_

* * *

As the evening wind rushed through the metal framing of the Eiffel Tower, I pressed my arm against Chat's, trying to absorb as much warmth as I could. After all, it was all the warmth I felt.

Chat and I were discussing his latest blunder with his girlfriend of several years, me. Or to be more precise, Marinette. Not that he knew we were the same girl, even after knowing each other for over 8 years.

"So, I panicked," Chat explained,"I completely froze after she said 'I love you' to me."

"So you just jumped off the balcony and left her all alone?" I asked, trying but failing to keep the frustration out of my voice.

"How did you know I left the terrace?" Chat said with a puzzled expression.

I forced myself to take a gulp of air. Marinette's hurt feelings were leaching into Ladybug's persona, and if I didn't rectify the situation soon, Chat could get suspicious.

I looked out at the evening sky, ever amazed by the continuous shine of 'The City of Lights'. A land that had adopted gas street lights almost 200 years ago, and hadn't seemed to darken since. It was peaceful, and the cool air helped me center myself, giving me a chance to listen as a black spotted hero, not as a crushed 22 year old girlfriend.

"Ladybug, you ok?"

"Huh, oh yeah. Sorry. I guess I zoned out, that was rude. So how are you going to make it up to Marinette?" I asked innocently.

"I'm not going to…" Chat responded.

My brain spun in circles as my old friend, anxiety, began to spin horror stories in my mind.

I pressed myself even closer to him as another gust of wind rippled across our bodies. At the same time I wondered if Kitty was really thinking of leaving me.

_"Maybe Chat meant he was going to wait for me to apologize," I thought._

He seemed to notice my confusion and explained, "I think I'm going to break up with Marinette."

My skin crawled as I felt another wave of cold hit me. This time, however, I shivered alone, as Chat sat resolutely against the metal framework.

_"No, this can't be happening. What did I do wrong?"_

"Oh?" I mustered.

"Yeah, sometimes it's just not in the cards."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" I fumed, wondering how Chat could just throw away a 5 year relationship like it was nothing.

He looked at me in a dazed silence.

I had spent years of my adolescent life pining after the beautifully unattainable Adrien Agreste, 'The Sunshine of Paris', until I realized we would never be more. Shortly after that, I had come to realize that my friend, Chat Noir may have had some depth I hadn't quite recognized as Ladybug. Soon Chat and I -Marinette- were dating. And we had spent the last five years on some slow-and-steady relationship, until I finally got the courage to say those 3 little words to him.

_And now I realized,"Chat never really cared about me."_

It felt like a gut punch, and at the same time it pissed me off how he could sit here and chat with me about how he rejected me.

"So? Is she just not good enough for you?"

"I-it's not like that-" he began, but I cut him off.

"Maybe you just don't have a big enough heart," I hissed.

He paused, then wordlessly nodded, something that made me even angrier. _How dare he agree with me._

"Yeah, I mean it makes sense that a weak willed loser and an equally unlovable b-"

This time I was the one cut off, as Chat jumped away from me, his fists clenched.

"Shut up. Marinette is better than most of the people I've ever met. Call me whatever you want, but don't you dare judge her like she's worthless," he said, his voice suddenly raw with emotion.

"But, you don't love her, you admit that?" I asked, unsure if my voice sounded irritated or desperate.

Chat nodded.

"You need to say it out loud," I demanded.

I waited for a moment, then braced myself for the brutal words. But they didn't come, instead I heard Chat slump down next to me again, his heat returning to my arm.

"You need to say it out loud," I repeated as I stared ahead at the steel support beam nearest to me.

Again I was met with silence. I waited a few moments before turning my head. In front of my eyes Chat was silently weeping.

_"How does one comfort a person who is in the middle of breaking their heart?" I wondered._

"I can't."

The words seemed delayed, yet confident.

"I can't say I don't love Marinette. Not yet, at least."

If one sentence could leave me with more questions than answers, it would be that one.

"Chat, if you love Marinette, why are you breaking up with her?" I asked, hoping against hope that there was some way that he wouldn't leave me.

The surprising silence returned, making me wonder how long it had been since Chat had last made a pun.

Finally he spoke, shocking me with a question of his own, "Why can't we reveal our identities to each other?"

_"Oh, so that's what this is about. He still loves me-Ladybug me."_

"Chat, you know why," I responded, knowing I hadn't actually answered his question.

"Yes, I do. But humor me here for a moment."

"Because it would give Hawkmoth the advantage," I said almost mechanically.

His rebuttal struck me. "No. You and I know that it really isn't about Hawkmoth, not really anyways."

"Our families would be in danger."

My voice was nearly a whisper as I began to put the puzzle together.

"Exactly. And it hit me when Marinette said she loved me. After years of dating her, it finally hit me. What would happen if people ever found out Chat Noir loved her?" He inquired.

Without waiting for a response, he answered his own question.

"Mari instantly becomes my greatest weakness. Anyone who had a bone to pick with me can go to Marinette. It doesn't matter that they don't know my identity, or that she doesn't either. She's in danger. And unlike us, she doesn't have powers to protect herself with. So if I have to break both our hearts to keep her safe, I will."

I opened my mouth several times, but discovered in abject horror, that I had no idea what to say. Could I confess my feelings as Ladybug, or tell him that Marinette would be ok and that he should keep dating her? No, everything seemed wrong, but I couldn't speak.

"I don't want this. If I had things my way I would tell her my identity in 6 months, put a ring on her finger in a year, and make her mine forever shortly after. But… it's just not in the cards," he said his shaking voice catching on itself.

Chat stood up. "Well, there's no use. Best to rip off the band aid quickly...and maybe, one day I'll stop hurting. It's time to tell Mari that it's over."

Finally the pain was too much and I found the words I was looking for.

"TIKKI, SPOTS OFF," I screamed, causing Chat to whirl around.

I stumbled into him, wrapping my arms around him.

"DON'T LEAVE ME!"

The words hung in the air, unmoving for several seconds as I cried into Kitty's shoulder. After several minutes of stunned silence, I felt Chat put his hand on my back.

"Never Purrrincess, I'll never leave you."


	21. In the Rain

_Author's Note: Lyra here. More than anything in the world for this show, I want the reveal scene to be exactly like the umbrella scene. Same music. Same animation. Same feeling. ::sigh:::_

_Ep: I'm not sure theirs would be BETTER than what you have below. Just sayn'._

_MR: I think this is where we petition Thomas Astruc to get Lyra a job (and let her bring us along. In a box. That's fine… she IS the most fluent in French, after all.)_

_Ic: Hey, my French is pretty good. 'Baguette, Croissant, Mon Capitaine'... ok so I only know foods and words I've heard from star trek… but still_

_Lyra: I would like to remind you that I am only really fluent in Frenglish…. Like most Canadians I know…._

_MR: I'm barely fluent in English… _

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette and Adrien_

* * *

He loved her. Ladybug. He loved everything about her - her strength, her courage, her determination. Those eyes that haunted his dreams. That smile that lit up his day. How she would throw her head back and laugh - an unfettered sound of joy. The teasing smirk she would toss him when she pretended not to like his jokes. Her complete trust of him - more than her life, more than her body - she trusted him with her heart.

Fingers entwined, breathing forgotten, eyes pulling each other's souls. Here, in the rain, the blue of her eyes mirroring the swelling of his heart.

"Ready?" Her voice was quiet, nervous. He squeezed her hand in a silent yes. And then the words were spoken, words that stripped off the masks, that tore back the secrets, that bared them to each other. Green and pink. There were no blinks, no attempts to hide, no more secrets.

He didn't know whose voice the first sob belonged to, nor whose arms encircled the other the fastest. He did know that the streaks on her face had nothing to do with the rain, just like his own - every tear to do with them, with this.

"Marinette." He could barely speak - her name more like a breath than a word. The sound she made as she pulled back to look at him was broken. It had always been her. His heart had known long before he had accepted it. But now, her body trembling against his, he knew that it was always her.

"Can I -" He didn't finish, her lips found his first. Warm. Needy. Caring.

Whispered words of love. Promises of forever. Rain forgotten.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Oh, God - he loved her. He loved everything about her - her clumsiness, her creativity, her dramatic flailing. That soft smile that lit up his day. Those eyes that twinkled with inspiration. Her complete encouragement of him - subtle and quiet, but fierce.

He loved her. All of her.


	22. Gift Wrapped

Gift Wrapped: A Reveal Story

_Author's Note: In an attempt to keep things light with my writing partners, I started out to write a wonderful story full of fluffy love. Sadly, it also includes some necessary angst. But I did try for just full fluff. Really. -ep_

_MR: As requested earlier this month.. Welcome to Epcot97 Appreciation Day, where it's all Lukanette and Adrigami all the time! (Absolutely no Marichat allowed)_

_Lyra: ::blows kazoo:: HAPPY EP DAY! _

* * *

_No reveals happen in this story *wink wink*_

* * *

I'd met Santa last Christmas under less than ideal circumstances, having bolted from my bedroom as Chat in anger over my father's views on the holiday. After nearly Cataclysming the tree in the square, I'd come across a jolly old man with a reindeer sleigh who'd amazingly had Camembert in his sandwich.

I'd come away from the entire episode believing in both him and the spirit of the holiday anew, and I'd intended to use my second Christmas as Chat to show Ladybug how much she meant to me. While she might not have had the same feelings for me, it was - at the very least - my chance to remind her how much I valued our friendship.

Weeks of planning had culminated in a series of boxes that I'd squirreled away - first in my bedroom at the mansion, and then as December appeared, in key locations throughout Paris. By the time Christmas Eve dawned, I was beside myself with anticipation and tried to mentally will the clock on my phone to fast forward to my designated patrol time with LB that evening.

Amazingly, she'd agreed to my suggestion that we take a quick spin through the city, just in case Santa wound up in trouble again. While it was slight subterfuge on my part, given what had happened last year it had a ring of prudence to it - enough that (I hoped) I'd be able to pull off my plan successfully.

Trying not to appear too anxious, I powered through the full day of the decorating activities that Nathalie had carefully scheduled for me, and managed to finish hanging the final gaudy ornaments on the massive tree in our foyer just before dinner. I didn't expect to see Father at dinner, and for once, Nathalie chose not to stand watch over me. Sliding Plagg some extra cheese, I hurried up to my room and then transformed on the run, leaping out of my open window and into the snow-filled darkness beyond.

Much like last year, snow had started to gently fall as the sun had sunk into the horizon. It gave the city I loved such a unique look - dressed in white, with more falling every moment. My black costume stood out against the flakes, making any sort of stealth impossible, but on this one night, I wasn't particularly worried - at least, until an untimely akuma horned in on my personal festivities. I threw up a prayer to whatever had created the kwamis that we'd get one perfectly calm, perfectly ordinary evening.

Landing atop a chimney flue, I vaulted down to perch along a wrought-iron decorative edge running along the roof that was our meeting place for the evening. I was a bit early for our meeting - okay, a lot early - so my masked green eyes watched as the snowflakes lazily fell out of the sky and floated serenely to the sidewalk below. Few people were out, given what day it was, and this year I felt the sting slightly again that I really didn't have that traditional warm family Christmas morning to look forward to. That had made me all the more determined to celebrate it with my "other" family, even if she didn't realize that's what I considered her.

My tail tapped contentedly against the rooftop as I continued to watch the snow fall, and at one point, I turned my head upward to catch a few flakes on my tongue. Unfortunately, I was in the midst of a second round of snow tasting when Ladybug nearly silently dropped onto the roof next to me.

"Chat? What on earth are you doing?"

I turned my head slightly, mouth still agape. "Eating snow," I confessed.

"Bad kitty!" she admonished good naturedly as she joined me at the railing.

"Sorry, Milady," I laughed. "Sometimes I'm not the suave and mature cat you know and love."

"Sometimes?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "Shall we?" she continued as she readied her yo-yo.

"In a moment," I said as I slid a small card out of my costume pocket. "This is for you."

Her eyes widened, and I saw all of the old arguments starting to bubble up.

"It's Christmas," I said, holding it out to her. "As your partner - and your friend - I wanted to celebrate it with you. Just a little. That's all."

"Chat," she started. "I don't think-"

My megawatt smile faltered, for the entire evening hinged on her reading my card. I dropped my paw. "All right," I said, trying to keep the disappointment from my voice. "I understand."

Sliding it back into my pocket, I turned back to the snow. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Yes," she said, but it was perfunctory. "Ready?"

"Sure."

Patrol lasted as long as normal, and we parted ways at the same rooftop after wishing each other a Merry Christmas; I lingered, though, not just to watch her lovely lithe form as it soared into the snow, but also to reluctantly retrieve all of my surprises from around the city. It was small solace to think that maybe next year I'd be more successful.

My first stop was a rooftop close to where we'd met for the first time. Hiding behind a loose roof tile, I retrieved the small jewelry box and popped it open to see the Noir Black bracelet I'd had made. Tiny red dots had been woven into the metalwork, looking a bit like a reversed version of her costume. I popped open my storage compartment in the baton and slipped it in and sighed before looking across the street and seeing the two of us hanging upside down from my baton, entangled in her yo-yo. I'd been so supremely confident that day and so overwhelming underprepared; she had been the voice of reason and had pulled my kitty butt out of the fire.

Smiling at the memory, I leapt away and worked my way across several rooftops. The snow was falling more heavily now, and the temperature had fallen significantly, but between my costume and the act of hurling myself across the night sky, I felt quite toasty. A few more rooftops and I landed atop the glass-roofed studio where I'd nearly been done in by CopyChat. Sliding down a convenient rain spout, I retrieved another small box and popped it open to reveal a small kitty charm that looked vaguely like me, only with a tiny straw in one paw. As traumatic a day as it had been, I'd learned the value in my honesty with Ladybug - a lesson that I had kept with me ever since.

One more box went into my baton storage compartment, and then I was off again, rising up on my baton and then helicoptering my way toward the Seine. When Nathaniel had been akumatized, Ladybug had trusted me to protect my classmate and friend Marinette; while I'd not been _quite_ as successful as I would have liked, the very fact that she had felt comfortable enough to rely on me had buoyed my confidence as a budding superhero.

Landing beside a stairway leading down to the paved walkway, I pulled apart a pile of trash to locate my third box. This one held a small charm in the shape of a barge - a memento of that night. I held it in my paw for a bit, then looked across the cold water of the river and shivered slightly, for if Marinette hadn't been as clear headed as she had been, we would've gone under with the boat.

Tucking the box into my baton, I smiled again thinking of my friend. Her rooftop patio was actually the next stop; unwittingly, she had helped me during one of my semi-regular visits to her as Chat, as I'd snuck the fourth box underneath the upturned planter I often perched upon. As I vaulted back into the night, I wondered if Marinette was enjoying her Christmas Eve with her very cool parents. She, too, had the kind of family I craved, and I was a tiny bit jealous.

Maybe a lot jealous.

Landing on a chimney that rose out of the Bakery, I quickly determined that Marinette wasn't about before vaulting down to the wrought iron railing. Perching for just a moment, I took in the snow-covered Notre Dame, still shrouded by construction scaffolding but lit externally for the holiday. Despite her still being in sorry shape, it was still inspiring to see the grand old Dame lit up.

I slid off the railing and moved to the planter, and had just tipped it up to reach beneath it when my feline ears pivoted and heard the skylight open. Before I could snatch my box, Marinette was peering at me, curiosity blazing in her eyes. "Chat?" she smiled. "Are you stealing my planter?"

"No, Princess," I laughed, deciding honesty was my best move. Holding up the box, I explained: "I hid this here earlier, but my master plan went off the rails, so I swung by to collect it."

Despite the cold and the blowing snow, Marinette pushed out of the skylight and came onto the patio, "What plan?" she asked.

I popped up to the railing and debated how much to tell her. She must have seen my indecision, for she prompted me slightly. "You did something for Ladybug, didn't you?"

"Yeah," I said. I cracked open the box to show her the third charm - it was a tiny baby pacifier.

"Wow," she breathed. "What is it?"

"It's a charm representing one of the moments I shared with Ladybug over the time we've been partners," I said. "I had twelve made up, and each one is a moment where she helped me become a better Chat." My masked eyes looked down on the charm. "This one represents the time she helped me rescue you from your dad."

"I remember."

"I knew Ladybug would appear just when I needed her - and she did, of course - but I also learned that while I can do some things myself, we are far more effective as a team." I laughed. "I have another box over at the Ice Rink with a small skate, for I had to learn that lesson twice, apparently."

Marinette was smiling softly at me. "Chat, that's beautiful."

"Yeah. Well, I know she doesn't love me - she's got another boy in her life," I explained. "Ladybug remains an important part of my life. Her friendship alone means more than anything, and I wanted her to know that tonight." I looked at the snowflakes. "Especially tonight."

"Why's that?" Marinette had stepped beside me and I could tell she was shivering. I leaned into her shoulder - at least that part of her would be warm.

I smiled. "Christmas was always the best holiday," I said. "And it's the perfect time of year to tell someone how much you care about them." Looking at her, I smiled wider. "I was going to surprise you tomorrow, but I've got a gift for you, too."

"Me?" she said.

"You're special to me too, Mari. All those nights you've let me hang out here? Being a friend I can count on?" My masked eyes searched hers. "It means the world to me."

Marinette smiled a bit shyly. "That's sweet, Chat. I don't know what to say."

"Then let me come back tomorrow," I said. "I won't stay long—"

"Absolutely," she said quickly. "And you can stay for dinner."

My ears popped up. "I can't impose—"

"Nonsense," she smiled and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "It's my gift to you."

"All right," I smiled as I leapt up to her railing. "I need to collect the rest of my Ladybug boxes before Santa makes his rounds. I'll see you tomorrow."

Marinette looked at me. "Don't stay out too much longer."

"No promises," I laughed as I fell over the edge and vaulted to the next rooftop.

The fourth box was at Trocadero, a small feather charm; the fifth, a video game controller at the stadium. The sixth was on the roof of the Grevin - a small ladybug - and the seventh was the ice skates I'd mentioned to Marinette.

Number eight was also connected to Marinette, for it was a small loaf of bread. The box was on top of the quaint house her grandfather lived in, and as I was storing it in my baton, my feline ears picked up the faint whisper of Ladybug on the wind. Turning, I peered into the darkness with my night vision but wasn't able to see my partner, and wondered if I was instead thinking I was hearing her solely because I'd wanted her to join me on this little gift quest I'd put together.

Sighing, I leapt away toward number nine. It was a small flipper, hiding in the decorative awning of the pool where Siren had been akumatized. Ladybug had needed to take off to visit Master Fu right after I'd snagged her out of midair - although at that point, I didn't know who he was, and she wasn't able to tell me. So in typical fashion, I'd sat atop one of the nearby nearly submerged buildings and groused about being left out only to discover it hadn't been Ladybug's choice. The lesson there was patience - and trust in my partner, with the flipper reminding me that it had been the first time we'd discovered other transformations existed.

Clinging to my baton, I reached over and removed the small box from behind one of the lights on the awning, then rose higher so I could stand on the roof and insert the small box into my storage compartment. Despite how dire the circumstances had been, I found myself smiling slightly at the beauty even a submerged Paris had provided - including, especially, the form-fitting aqua mode costume of my partner.

Leaping away from the roof, I redirected the baton and set off for box ten. It was perched on the apex of the pyramid at the Louvre, a feat I was particularly proud of and now slightly sad that Ladybug wouldn't see. I clawed my way up the side of the glass, careful not to scratch it too badly, and then slid back down the other side. Landing on my boots at the bottom, I cracked open the box to see the small bunny; although there had been many adventures in and around the famous museum, our first visit with Bunnix had affected me greatly on two fronts.

First, I knew that Ladybug and I would still be working together years from now; that gave me faith that despite whatever screw-ups took place between now and then, I'd ultimately grow into the partner she deserved (and, with luck, might just love). And second, I knew that she would become the self-confident leader that I already saw. Placing the bunny into my baton, I hurried away from the pyramid and leapt back into the snowy night, smiling to think about the two of us possibly still out protecting Paris on a snowy Christmas Eve in the future.

The penultimate box was hiding in a favorite nook of ours on the Eiffel Tower. Landing at the base, I hopped from beam to beam, using my claws and cat agility to snake my way to the point halfway up that provided excellent views of the City of Love. Box eleven held a small lipstick charm - brilliant red for Milady - and was a reminder that I'd do anything to protect her, though kissing Chloe might have almost been a bridge too far. As I put the box away, I looked out across the twinkling lights of the city, twinkling more, perhaps, because of the snow, and smiled. Being up at that height was a perk of our job, and one of the few I knew Ladybug also enjoyed. She was typically all business, but every now and then, I was able to get her to unwind just a little in a few spots across this city. This one was a favorite.

I leapt off the side of the Tower and swan dived toward the street, pulling out my baton at the last minute to pogo-stick vault back into the air. Helicoptering up to a nearby rooftop, I started a slow jog toward my final gift, unwilling for my trek to end, even if it had been without Ladybug. For after this, all I had to look forward to was a long, lonely night in my room at the mansion.

I slowed further, realizing that wasn't entirely true. Thanks to Marinette, I had a place to be on Christmas morning. One where I was definitely welcome.

My last stop was the plaza in front of City Hall, the very location where a year earlier I'd nearly turned the Paris Christmas Tree to ash. This year's version rose boldly into the night sky, and I dropped into a four-point crouch just beside it. The lights were flaming brightly, glittering off of the baubles the tree had been trimmed with, and the falling snow made it feel all the more cheerful.

I crept forward, and thrust my paw beneath the tree to retrieve a much bigger box, wrapped in black paper with green ribbon. This one was the "special" charm that was to be the pinnacle of the treasure hunt, and even now, I was unwilling to crack it open without Ladybug being present.

It could wait until next year.

I sat for quite a while in my patient cat crouch, just watching the snow as it fell heavily across the plaza; it was a quiet, calm moment that I pulled into my soul to hold onto for when times grew turbulent later. When the clock tower started to chime for the midnight hour, I knew it was time to return home and reluctantly rose up into the night on my baton. Slowly, I ran across the familiar rooftops, still dreading returning to my room despite my plans with Marinette.

Light from my bedroom spilled out from the tall windows, mutely reminding me that no one had checked up on my whereabouts after dinner. I landed on the windowsill of the window I'd left open, and crinkled my masked eyes in humor at the half-inch of snow that had accumulated below it. My bad.

I vaulted across the space and landed, crouched, in the center of my room, and was about to drop my transformation when my feline ears picked up that sense that Ladybug was nearby; cocking my head, I was nearly certain I could hear her _ziiiing_ of a retracting yo-yo. Once I could write off; twice made me suspicious - and worried that she might have followed me home.

Backflipping to the window, I caught myself at the edge and smiled grimly; there were, perhaps, worse things than having Ladybug in my home, with losing my Miraculous being one of them. Pulling my baton out, I snapped it in two and hurled the pair at the light switches on either side of the room. They struck home and plunged the space into semi-darkness, allowing my night vision to kick in fully.

Grabbing the returning pieces in each paw, I hopped to the edge of the window and reassembled the baton before popping it open to the Bug Tracker. Sure enough, the red logo appeared on the rooftop opposite the mansion, causing me to swear in the four languages I knew.

I pushed myself into the air and intentionally left the mansion in a direction away from the roof Ladybug was on. Unsure of how long she'd been following me, I wondered if I'd be able to convince her I'd just been visiting one more place on my rounds that evening. I knew she knew who Adrien Agreste was, and as we'd both been to the mansion to fight an akuma or two, it wasn't an unknown location.

The snow had gotten even heavier, if that was even possible. I had to stop a number of times to shake the accumulating mess off of my mane before finally arriving at the Le Grand Hotel Paris. My baton deposited me on the rooftop pool area, and I perched on the railing much like I would at Marinette's. Scanning the darkness to see if Ladybug had followed me, I decided she likely had, but was keeping a discrete distance, I didn't want to give away the fact that I knew she was out there so I didn't check my baton. I suddenly thought of one final place I could go before I tried to lose her completely.

It was a gamble, but I was willing to take it.

I dropped off the railing and made like I'd located something under a snowy chaise lounge, then went through the motions of putting something into my baton. Then, after dawdling for a few moments, I helicoptered into the air and dropped to nearby roof. Building up a good head of steam, I ran toward the edge of the roof and vaulted high into the air, helicoptered a bit more and then hit the side of the tall skyscraper housing the television station. Not long ago, we'd fought one of the first combined akumas here, though neither of us retained any memories of the experience. Alya had kindly recorded the final moments, however; the kiss between Ladybug and myself was still a top hit in most internet searches. As I hopped from window to window, climbing the tall building, I found myself wondering once again what had happened between us in those hours that had been erased.

If the kiss was an indication of anything, all of my hopes and dreams had played out.

Reaching the roof, I pulled myself over the edge and vaulted into the exact center of the helipad, about where the kiss had taken place. So many akumas had been attracted to the height; Kwamibuster was the most recent, and one where my friend Marinette had been tapped (briefly) by Ladybug to be a Miraculous Holder. She'd unfortunately misunderstood the rules and had revealed herself to me by accident, putting her on the banned list with Chloe. I'd been lobbying Ladybug to give her a second chance, but she'd made up her mind about it.

I waited in my patented patient-cat stance, wondering if Ladybug would take the bait. As the tallest building in the city, she'd not be able to perch elsewhere and watch me from protective cover. I suspected the longer I sat there, the more likely an appearance from her would be - if for no other reason than to ensure nothing had happened to me. I hated to goad her in that way, but then again, she'd been following _me_.

My suit protected me from the worst of the snow and cold, but after a few minutes of inactivity, I could feel the exposed parts of my face starting to sting. Still I waited; a half-hour passed before I snapped open the baton to confirm the little red logo was still out there, similarly patiently waiting.

I rubbed my paws together after three-quarters of an hour had elapsed, wondering how it was possible that my fingertips could be cold. I checked the baton again and saw she hadn't moved, either, and started to grow concerned that she would start to freeze herself. I knew I needed to do something, but also knew based on how she was tracking me, she might follow me right back to the mansion if I went home.

Clearly she wasn't worried enough to reveal herself, though, so it was a conundrum.

I thought a bit longer and frowned. There was really only one other place I could go as Chat that would be more-or-less within my normal pattern. Sighing at the need to impose upon my friend, I stood and leapt to the edge of the building, then vaulted into the night toward the Bakery.

Making good time, I landed on the rooftop patio as gently as I could and then crept to the skylight, my boots leaving cat-prints behind in the snow. As loudly as I dared, I tapped at the portal. When Marinette didn't respond, I tapped again, a bit louder, and pressed a feline ear to the opaque window. I started to tap a third time when I definitely heard the _ziiing_ of the yo-yo and turned to see Ladybug striding toward me, a frown on her face.

"Chat," she said sternly. "What are you doing?"

"Milady," I said, as I stood. My face flushed slightly as I wasn't entirely sure what to tell her; as I'm not very good at lying, I tried for a selective truth. "Uh, I didn't want to be alone on Christmas Eve. Marinette invited me over for Christmas Day and I… uh… decided to come early?"

"Alone?" she said, all traces of anger evaporating from her face. "Don't you have a family, Chat?"

"I can't answer that," I said. "You've been pretty clear on that point."

"Right," she said, but I could tell from her expression that I'd confirmed something for her.

I wasn't sure if that was good or bad. "Milady, whatever you think you know-" I started, my paws out pleadingly. "I… I can't lose being Chat. I just can't."

She smiled at me. "I don't know anything," she said softly. "Look, go home. Come back tomorrow for dinner, just as we'd planned."

"But-"

"No buts. More people than you know care for you, Chat. Marinette is one of them and I'm sure she'll be right here tomorrow waiting for you."

I hung my head, but at the same time, something in the way she'd said it told me I wouldn't have a shadow this time. "All right," I said. "But only if I can give you my card before I go."

"Deal," she said.

"Don't read this until I go," I said as I pulled it out from my costume a second time. "And ignore the quest part at the bottom. We'll do that another time, I guess."

Taking the card from my paw, she went on tip-toes to whisper into my feline ear "Merry Christmas, Chat," before leaning back down to kiss me softly on the cheek.

Flushing slightly, I smiled shyly and responded: "Same to you, Milady." And with that, I leapt away into the night and returned to the mansion.

I slept fitfully, waking with a start close to six in the morning not feeling rested at all. As I tried to wake up under the hot water from my shower, my feline brain was replaying the events of the night. As fuzzy as I felt, it seemed like something significant had happened and I'd missed it.

The epiphany hit as I climbed the steps to my room in a desultory fashion after getting my one present from Father - a copy of a video game I already had, though Nathalie should have known that. My hand was on the doorknob when everything clicked.

_Come back tomorrow for dinner, just as we'd planned._

In a blur of motion, I pried Plagg from the massive wheel of Camembert I'd ordered as his Christmas present and transformed as I moved through my room. My gift for Marinette was sitting on my computer, and I tucked that and the final box for Ladybug into my backpack before vaulting out the open window into the bright and clear day.

As she'd promised, Marinette was waiting for me on the rooftop patio when I landed. Smiling widely, she said, "Right on time, Chat."

"I make it a point never to miss food," I smirked as I landed on the railing. Sliding the backpack around, I unzipped it and slid out the gift I had for her, careful to ignore her slight widening of her eyes - for the satchel was one I had used as Adrien many times. "This is for you, Princess," I said as I handed her the small box.

"You didn't-"

"Yes, I did," I smiled as I continued to perch. "Like I told you before, your friendship means the world to me."

She smiled. "As does yours, Chat," she replied as she slit the tape on the gift wrap. Much like Ladybug's, I'd wrapped the box in pure black paper, but no ribbon. Opening the box, her eyes bugged out as she lifted out the insanely hard to find special edition Ultimate Mech controller. "How did you _get_ this?" she cried. "It's been sold out for months!"

"It has indeed," I grinned. "I… have a friend who knew how to get bumped up the priority pre-order list." It didn't hurt that Nathalie also had access to Father's super-exclusive credit card, perfect for such hard-to-find items.

"Do you now?" she smiled.

"Yes. Hopefully it won't give you too much of an advantage over me, not that you need one."

"You've been getting better," she said.

"Thanks." We'd only played together - as Chat and Marinette - just a few times, and I'd taken pains to ensure that I lost horribly each time; as Adrien, I was reasonably capable of holding my own against her. I cocked my head and smiled a bit slyly. "Of course, this is also a backhanded way for me to invite myself over more frequently."

"You don't need an excuse, Chat," she said as she leaned up and kissed me briefly on the cheek. "Thank you."

"I have one more gift," I said, my heart pounding slightly as I said it. "Well, two, I guess."

"Really, Chat, that's not necessary."

"This one is," I replied. I popped off the railing and stood in front of her. Taking a deep breath, I unzipped the backpack and pulled out the box I had for Ladybug. Keeping my eyes on the box, I started softly: "I've been debating whether to do this or not, especially since I went to extraordinary lengths to ensure I could _keep_ the Cat Miraculous last night."

"What are you talking about, Chat?"

I looked up at her. "Being Chat Noir is everything to me, and I have a feeling that while Ladybug doesn't have the same… attachment… to her alter-ego as I do, I imagine she'd not want to give up being our Team Leader until she's no longer needed."

"When the job is done, in other words," Marinette said, slowly nodding.

"Modesty forbids, of course, but I think I make her a good partner. And I don't think either one of us wants to jeopardize that part of our relationship, either."

She nodded again.

I held out the box. "Opening this box will trigger a memory spell," I said. "It will erase certain… things… that both of us might _think_ we know." I paused for a beat. "Or saw, perhaps."

Marinette looked at me, and I winked a masked green eye at her.

"Do you understand?" I asked carefully. "Just _taking_ this box is enough."

Nodding slowly, a partial smile appeared on Marinette's face. "Touching the box, even?" she asked.

"Yes." I looked deeply into her eyes, knowing _exactly_ who I was seeing for the first time; from the twinkling in her eyes, I could see Marinette was on the same page.

Her smile grew wider. "We'll forget everything?"

"No," I smiled. "For example, I won't forget that I'm in love with Marinette."

She nodded. "You're saying I'll still know that I'm in love with… Chat?"

My smile grew wider. "Yes," I replied. "Unfortunately, I might forget that I was _supposed_ to be in love with Ladybug," I added, and I looked at her expectantly - hoping - _wishing_ \- for what she'd say next.

"And I'll forget I have feelings for Adrien?" she nodded slowly before she smiled devilishly. "You might have to augment this spell just a bit, Chat. In the same way Clark Kent did in _Superman 2_."

My masked eyes widened. "If that's what it takes, Princess. I hope I'm up to the task."

Marinette pulled the box toward her, but I kept my paws on it, allowing her to pull me closer. Carefully, I leaned down and gently brushed my lips to hers. Very tentatively, I kissed her - just enough of a promise of what could come later, if she wanted to continue down this path with me.

I pulled away from her and gazed down into her deep blue eyes. "How do you feel, Princess?"

"A little woozy," she laughed. "I feel like I've… forgotten something. You?"

"The same," I smiled as I pulled her into a bigger hug. "Merry Christmas," I said warmly.

"Merry Christmas, kitty," she said.

I stepped back, my nose working the air. "I think your parents have served up dinner. At the risk of offending them, looks like I'm going to have to keep you on pins and needles for a bit longer."

"I can wait," she smiled. "Now that I know you're not going anywhere," she teased as she pulled me back down to her lips by my bell.

We kissed again, longer and deeper, before I followed her down the skylight. I paused in her bedroom at her desk, though, having seen my card for Ladybug propped up against the monitor. "Go on down," I said. "I need just a moment if you don't mind. That… spell… took a lot out of me, and I need to catch my breath."

"Okay," she laughed. "I'll prep my parents that my… boyfriend… will be right down."

"That has a nice ring to it," I said, but narrowed my masked eyes at her. "But will your father believe us this time? The last time resulted in him locking you away in a tower."

"I can convince him," she said as she disappeared through the trap door.

As soon as she was gone, I pulled out my baton and carefully removed the twelve small boxes from the storage compartment, and arrayed them around the one larger box. Smiling, I returned the baton to the small of my back as I decided this was quickly turning into the best Christmas ever.

I hurried down the trapdoor to join my new girlfriend and her family, feeling welcome - and wanted - for the first time in recent memory. It was a generous gift Marinette had given me that would last me a lifetime.


	23. Lila's Lies

_Author's note:_

_Lyra: Did you HAVE to write about Lila at Christmas!? Way to kill the mood. Gah. _

_MR: I killed the mood… but nobody else!_

_Ep: Ho ho ho indeed. On the other hand, if there was one charac-wait, I shouldn't put this on paper, should I?_

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette_

* * *

Marinette was exhausted. Between the akuma attacks, becoming the new guardian of the miracle box, and all of the commissions she had piling up for the holidays, not to mention trying to make Christmas presents for all of her friends, she'd only had a passing relationship with sleep for almost 2 weeks. Fortunately, Christmas was only 2 days away, and she was planning on asking Father Christmas for a nap.

The lack of sleep did nothing to change her normal cheerfulness, but it did make her ramblings somewhat less comprehensible than usual. More than once she'd been heard muttering about baskets of yarn and sewing boxes shut.

Amazingly, she arrived early to class on the last day of school before Christmas, and had handed over to Juleka the sketches for Kitty Section's fan t-shirts that they had been hoping to start selling. Capitalizing on the shot that Bob Roth had inadvertently given them on Alec Cataldi's show, and the fact that Jagged Stone was impressed enough with them to invite them along to a few music festivals, they wanted to do something to give back to their fans.

Naturally they had turned to Marinette to design the shirts. She had been happy to do so, creating a stylized version of the four masks, the Couffaine siblings flanking Rose and Ivan.

The masks served a dual purpose. Since they never performed without them, it made them instantly recognizable when they stepped on stage, and blessedly anonymous without them.

All of their friends knew who was under the mask, most having been to at least one rehearsal, so nobody was surprised or in awe when Lila started talking about the band like she knew the members. She breezed into class one day announcing that she would be attending their rehearsal that evening. Ivan looked surprised at Juleka who shook her head. Not wanting her to feel bad if she showed up on the wrong day, Rose gently corrected her. "Kitty Section rehearsals are tomorrow."

"Oh. Is it only Thursday today? I must have my days confused." Lila covered her tracks quickly, surprised that sweet, delicate Rose of all people would be into Kitty Section enough to know their schedule.

Ivan had given the t-shirt design a thumbs up, and Juleka was showing it to Rose when Lila walked in. She saw the design, and smiled sweetly at Rose. "I could get you an autographed t-shirt if you like. Their lead guitarist asked me out once, but I had to turn him down. I was too busy with my charity work, but we're still good friends."

Juleka snorted, then started shaking with silent laughter. Ivan shot a confused look at Mylene. Rose's jaw was hanging open, surprised, and looked at Juleka for confirmation. Juleka glanced at Marinette who had her arms folded around her purse, upon which rested her cheek. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be fast asleep. Shrugging one shoulder Juleka turned her attention back to Lila. "When did you meet Luka?"

"Luka? Uh, I helped him rescue his pet snake. He was devastated that it had escaped through his apartment window and into the park."

Juleka was smiling sweetly, finally understanding what Marinette had been warning them about all those months. "Oh. His pet snake! What was his name again?" She was looking at Lila, but asked the class at large.

Adrien was the one who supplied the answer. "Sass."

There was more giggling and whispering in the class than Lila was comfortable with. She tried to salvage the situation. "I didn't really think that he was your type, but would you like me to introduce you to him?"

At this point the class was openly laughing, so Lila turned on the crocodile tears. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to do something nice for a classmate. If I was wrong then, I'm sorry."

Alya shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Girl." She tried hard to compose herself. "You just offered to set Juleka up with her _brother._ You also offered to get her an autographed t-shirt for her band."

Giving another one shouldered shrug, Juleka started to shrink under all the attention that was on her. "I can get you a signed shirt though if you want. Even introduce you to Luka." She glanced at Marinette again, but the girl was fast asleep. "But I know who he wants to ask out. And it isn't you."

Ivan turned to Mylene questioningly, and she just patted him on the arm, mouthing 'later'.

Just then, Miss Bustier walked into the room, and called her class to attention, everyone scrambling back to their seats. Nobody noticed the purple butterfly phase through the window at the back and merge itself with Lila's necklace. Everyone was staring at Marinette, whose name had been called twice already, until they heard the words, "Yes, Hawkmoth" and turned to see Lila disappear in a purple haze.

Miss Bustier started shepherding everyone to the front of the room away from Lila, or Volpina, as she had once again become. Marinette was still sleeping in her seat, and Adrien was working his way towards the door, all the other students were staring at Volpina.

For her part, Tikki was poking Marinette's cheek. "Wake up, Marinette! There's an akuma!"

Hearing her kwami say the word akuma right in her ear, Marinette shot straight upright, and before she even opened her eyes, sleepily cried out, "Tikki! Spots on!"

The whole class stared in shock as Marinette's clothing disappeared, replaced by the red and black spotted suit of Ladybug. After her transformation, she opened her eyes, only then taking in her surroundings. There were a lot of muttered conversations that broke out, some about how Lila was definitely NOT Ladybug's best friend (Alya squealed, "I'm her best friend!")

Blanching white at what just happened, Ladybug told her classmates that they were not allowed to mention this to anyone. They all nodded, and huddled by the door, Volpina backing away from where Ladybug was approaching her up the aisle.

At that moment, Chat appeared in the window behind Volpina. He grinned at Ladybug, but stayed quiet as Volpina backed up, her eyes locked on Ladybug. She stepped back, right into him, his left arm locking around her, and whispered 'cataclysm' as his right hand brushed the faux miraculous around her neck.

The necklace crumbled and Ladybug captured the akuma releasing it with her typical wave. She turned to Chat, shocked, as the class burst into applause. "I think that's the fastest we've ever beat an akuma. Even faster than Mr. Pigeon."

Chat shook his head, looking over the class behind him. "Alright then." He paused when his ring beeped, then jumped back up to the open windowsill. "Catch you later, Milady!" With a flip, he leaped out of the window.

Everyone was slowly making their way back to their seats, hugging Marinette and promising to keep her secret as Adrien slipped back into the classroom. He didn't pay any extra attention to Marinette, and the class realized he hadn't been in the room when Marinette transformed. They all swore to themselves that they wouldn't tell Adrien, no matter how hard that might be, so when he turned to Nino, asking what he had missed, Nino just smiled at him and said, "Nothing, dude. Just the superheroes doing what they do."


	24. I Love You More Than I Could Know

_A/N: Come one, come all and see this marvelous miracle, a 'miraculous' marvel. Today, I Ringmaster Icarus, will navigate you through one of the most terrifying, and may I add dangerous, ships in the whole fandom?_

_Indeed I speak of Ladrien, the only canon ship that can strip the love out of a cubic meter of fluff in less than 30 seconds. And tonight only, I'll allow you to see it, beautiful and tamed. I guarantee you'll enjoy Ladrien just a little more, or your money back! So come one, and come all to see this fantastic spectacle._

_Ep: (spluttering) Ladrien? Ic? What happened to you? You're the one that convinced me Marichat was the One True Ship… (wanders to corner, sobbing)... was it all a lie?_

_MR: I will never doubt you again!_

* * *

Reveal: Adrien and Marinette

* * *

**Day 1**

Ladybug skidded on the concrete, the blond boy cradled safely in her arms.

"I'm s-so sorry. Usually Chat is here to distract the Akuma," she palliated.

A green clad villain charged after the heroine and her defenseless prince. Her dark glasses catching the afternoon sun in a way that made her look especially contemptible.

"Adrien, just say you love me back and I won't have to hurt you… as for you Ladybug, I'm going to enjoy making you suffer," Vert De Jalousie scoffed, transitioning to a snarl as she addressed Ladybug.

A green bolt launched out of her glasses, barrelling towards Ladybug. She had only a moment to gently set down Adrien before tumbling into the entrance of an alleyway.

Blood trickled down her cheek as she stood up; evidence that her maneuver had been more rushed than Adrien had realized. That realization was confirmed as Ladybug glanced left and right unable to escape her attacker.

"Looks like it's the end of the line for you, Ladyb-"

"WAIT!" Adrien bellowed, causing both girls to swirl around in surprise.

"I can't let you hurt Ladybug. I lo… If you spare Ladybug, I'll do anything you ask of me," he groveled with outstretched hands, making a point to physically get on his knees.

Even in the dark green shroud of envy, a visible blush showed on the fanatic's face. "Anything?"

Just then the crimson yoyo that Adrien had come to love flew from it's wielder's hand straight towards the akumatized glasses. The spectacles snapped on impact, releasing a violet winged insect. Ladybug made short work of the creature, purifying it with her usual ease.

As she ran to escape a beep of her earrings reminding her of her limited time. Hurriedly she turned to Adrien.

"H-Hey, thanks for distracting her. You really had my butt… I mean SAVED my butt!... um, point is, if I can ever return the favor…"

"A date?" The model squeaked.

Both faces were far beyond blushing, but in a miracle, they planned a date for the following day in jumbled 3 word sentences.

**Day 2**

Adrien waited silently on the freezing rooftop. It was an unusually cold November evening, and each rush of wind felt like an oversized icicle impaling him; the frigid gusts sapping the warmth from the very core of his body.

It didn't help that he was starting to sweat. And it was especially unpropitious that Ladybug was 9 minutes late.

Finally, he felt his muscles relax at the all too familiar sound of a whirring yoyo, followed by an intentional thump. What he hadn't counted on was Ladybug in a polka dotted dress over her costume.

The glistening red dress reflected cardinal light into the evening atmosphere, completely entracing Adrien.

"Y-y-you l-look great," he managed, as his cheeks warmed to the color of her dress.

"O-oh, thank you, I look good too… I mean YOU. You look good too."

Adrien smiled, a coy curl at the corner of his lips. Outwardly he was frozen, but inside his mind was buzzing.

_"Not only did she come to my rooftop like I asked, but she showed up in the most beautiful dress I've ever seen," he realized._

"Y-your dress is really something. I-I think even my father would be impressed," he stuttered as he pulled out a seat at the folding table he had set up. Ladybug nervously accepted the gesture and sat down.

It would have been the perfect date except for two factors. The first was a couple who couldn't speak to each other in more than one or two coherent sentences at a time, and the other was the explosive burst of flames that reduced Adrien's picnic basket to ruble.

Ladybug cursed under her breath as she threw herself at Adrien before the second scorching flame turned his chair into a pile of molten slag. He landed on the ground of the rooftop, Ladybug hovering just above him with her unsteady breaths "clearly audible right next to his ear.

The pair locked eyes, and for a second they seemed to forget the Akuma. Then the heroine snapped out of the trance and leapt off the building muttering something about staying put.

20 seconds later she returned, the picnic basket and chair completely restored. She excused herself for a moment, which Adrien knew was being used to feed her kwami, then returned.

As she took her seat, Adrien cleared his throat.

"Thanks for saving me… single-handedly. I guess Chat Noir has been slacking lately," he mentioned in a resigned manner.

"Oh, no worries. This was one of the easier ones anyways. Chat probably barely heard about it by the time I finished things up ov-," the spotted girl said, spearing a potato from the pot roast in front of her.

Suddenly the realization that she was speaking with Adrien Agreste dawned on her. Her voice caught in her throat.

Adrien looked equally anxious. He followed suit and claimed a potato of his own. The pair sat in harrowing silence as they ate the starchy roots.

After several bites, Adrien finally mustered his courage.

"Ladybug," he began, his eyes locked on the table,"I'm sorry I haven't been talking much. It's not that I don't want to talk to you, I'm just really nervous."

"So you aren't looking at me?" She asked.

He nodded, then realized she wasn't looking at him either. "Sorry, I nodded 'yes'."

She took a deep breath then responded with confidence. "I think I can talk too, if I don't have to deal with the pressure of looking at such a cute guy. So… what's your favorite TV show?"

"Well, I guess I like anime a lot, but most comedies and action with an actual storyline are pretty good."

The pair finished their meal slowly, then afterwards, spent 3 hours trading stories and swapping questions under the starry sky.

Eventually Ladybug's earrings began to beep, though Adrien mentioned that no dots were missing.

_"I guess that's just Tikki's way of letting me know that I have a curfew," Ladybug thought._

She walked to Adrien and wrapped her arms around him.

"I really had a fun time with you Adrien," she whispered.

"Good, maybe you'll go out with me again," he returned as he intertwined his hand with hers, "normally I'd make sure you got home safe… but that seems out of the question."

Ladybug squeezed him one more time before sliding off his jacket and jumping into the darkness.

"Wait, how will I get ahold of Adrien?! I guess 'I' have his number but it'll be hard to explain how Ladybug got it," She realized aloud.

Her left hand was still closed, holding on to the warmth left by Adrien's. To her surprise she felt something crinkle in it. She opened her hand when she got home, finding a piece of paper with Adrien's number.

She held the paper to her heart.

**Day 18**

Adrien dodged the volley of blade-shaped icicles as he scanned the map.

"Sorry, LB, I think you're right, I did get us lost."

The akuma rumbled something about cold reality cutting into personal time, but Ladybug ignored it.

"I told you so," she grumbled as she somersaulted behind a tree, which was then covered in the icy blades.

"Oh, I found it! We're at the old park's water fountain," he cried victoriously.

A burst of spiked frozen water destroyed the structure he had been pointing at.

"We _were_ at the park's water fountain," he grumbled.

It took only a few minutes for Ladybug to defeat the villain all by herself, then recharge and rejoin Adrien.

"What are the chances that every single one of our dates has had an akuma attack? Especially since we have been dating in secret. What is the chance of someone getting akumatized at an old abandoned park?" Ladybug mused.

The boy was caught off guard as he stared at his friend, her crimson mask peeking out of the grey hoodie she was wearing. He shook his head and looked elsewhere.

"Well," Adrien said thoughtfully," it has been 17 days since our first date and we have gone on 7 dates. Hawkmoth has akumatized 7 people, not just on the days that we have been together but the times too. I'd say that is a one in a big number chance of happening."

"Wow, you are good with math Einstei-" Ladybug stopped in her tracks.

"Did you look at me?" Adrien asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah," the heroine admitted,"I can't believe I still get tongue tied when I look at you, yet I can be completely nonreactive when you hold my hand and talk to me for hours at a time."

"Completely nonreactive?" Adrien wondered aloud as he snuck his hand into his date's.

She blushed a shade far too red to be natural. "Ok, fine maybe not totally. But I can avoid stuttering and speak in real sentences."

The couple grew relaxed as they made their way through the park, though something seemed to weigh on Adrien. Finally he spoke.

"Hey Ladybug… do you think Hawkmoth has been watching us?" Adrien asked nervously.

**Day 26**

"So Ladybug… we've been seeing each other practically every day for the last month, and when we've been too busy, we text each other all day. So will you officially be my girlfriend?"

Adrien was grinning ear to ear as he spoke, though he was staring at Ladybug's feet.

"I'll answer you if you look me in the eyes and ask again," she bargained.

"Then you have to respond while looking me in the eyes," Adrien countered.

"Um… fair point. Who needs eyes anyways," Ladybug admitted to the ground,"yes, I'll be your girlfriend."

The pair embraced, feelings of joy abounding in them. Until a bolt of lightning nearly hit them.

This time it took Ladybug less than 15 seconds to defeat the villain and resume her date.

**Day 35**

Hawkmoth looked in complete confusion as Ladybug ripped off his Miraculous in his own home.

"How did- how did you find me?"

Ladybug smiled victoriously. "You did this to yourself Gabriel. You literally sent an akuma after your son on every date I had with him. At first Adrien and I thought it meant you were watching this place, and that you would akumatize someone every time you saw me stop by here."

"Yes, I thought it was foolproof? How could you have figured it out?" He hissed.

"Well we started being more sneaky. Adrien would meet me in private places, fancy and discreet restaurants, empty parks, you know. But even then, you still found us," Ladybug explained.

Chat listened the whole time, nodding his head thoughtfully.

"Then Adrien mentioned the only person he told was his dad, after all, a 17 year old can't just go gallivanting across Paris without telling his parents anything. Especially if his father is a control freak," Ladybug continued.

Gabriel sneered at the words 'control freak'.

"So,"Chat added,"they came up with a plan. Adrien told you he was going to a new "theater" in town and gave you the address. He was in fact going to an abandoned parking garage. So he and Ladybug checked to make sure they had no trackers on them. They spent hours making sure they weren't being tailed, then they met at the parking garage in disguises at 7pm, just as they planned. Not 5 minutes later did an akuma attack."

"And I was the only person who could've known you two were there," Gabriel finished.

"Exactly," Ladybug nodded.

The cavernous room with a single window was silent.

"Chat Noir. I know you love Ladybug. Join me and she can be your- ugh" Gabriel gasped.

Ladybug looked in horror. "Chat why did you just kick him in the rib-"

"You think that's funny?! Hmm. Offer the girl your son loves as a prize to some other guy? As if you had the power to deliver? You disgusting b-"

Now it was Ladybug's turn to intervene. "Chat," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I know that was wrong, but maybe we can let him go. He doesn't have a miraculous anymore and…"

"And you don't want your boyfriend to find out you found his dead mom in his basement AND locked his dad in prison?Ladybug, you are probably the purrfect girlfriend, but I think Adrien would agree that he needs to answer for his crimes. Besides, he's still in league with Mayura."

Chat forced down the sob in his throat, staring at Ladybug for her final decision.

Ladybug nodded silently. "Ok," came her whispered response.

A few hours later she saw Adrien at their pre-decided rendezvous.

"Adrien!" She cried running towards him,"I'm so sorry!"

Adrien pulled her into a warm hug, comforting the crying hero,"It's ok Ellie".

Ladybug couldn't help but melt into his arms at the sound of the nickname.

"What's going to happen to you?" She sniffled.

Adrien squeezed her tighter."well I'm going to spend a couple days with my aunt and cousin Felix."

Ladybug's nose wrinkled at the name.

"But if all goes well my paperwork will go through and I'll legally become an adult at 17. I won't bore you with all the legal details, but basically I will be in charge of my dad's fashion company until he gets out of prison… and based on the news it sounds like that might be a long time."

They let go to look at one another, then embraced again.

**Day 42**

"Hey Nino, Alya, welcome to my home," Adrien said.

The couple walked in, hand in hand.

"So this is the place," Alya commented,"I never really got a good look at it since… you know."

Adrien grinned as he closed the door. "Since my Father was a jerk? Yeah. But now I can invite whomever I want since the house is under my care for the next little while."

"The consensus is he'll get 20 years," Alya said nonchalantly.

"Sweet," Adrien grinned,"well in that case, Gabriel Brand is looking for a new social media and news intern. And believe it or not, fashion has a lot of musical components, so we're also for an assistant music and sound technician."

The couple beamed.

"No way dude!"

"Really, Adrien?"

The model/businessman/teen smiled at his friends. "Yep. Of course you'll have to apply. But since no one else knows about the openings, I doubt you'll have to fight too hard for the positions."

His friends wrapped him in a big hug.

"Ok, I love your home, and I appreciate the job, and the dinner you invited us to smells great, but I was promised the chance to meet your _secret _girlfriend," Alya asserted.

"Oh right. Well we still need to wait for Mari," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his head,"and I'd like to let her know she has an official invitation to intern at Gabriel as well."

Alya's smile wound down. "Oh, Mari texted me. She isn't feeling well, so she won't make it."

Adrien looked a little disappointed but nodded. "Ok, in that case I'll head to the kitchen and grab her, but first I need your word you won't tell anyone about this. She's kinda famous and we don't want all the attention that comes from two celebrities dating."

Nino agreed hurriedly, but it took a few minutes before Alya finally agreed.

As Adrien walked towards the kitchen Nino turned to his girlfriend. "It's too bad Marinette's sick."

Alya just shook her head. "Nino, you know boys are dense, right? Marinette still loves Adrien. So she doesn't want to meet his girlfriend."

'Ah' Nino mouthed, taking a seat at the table. Alya took a spot across from him.

Adrien walked to the table carrying a large golden turkey, twinkling warm grease trickling down the sides of the aromatic meal.

He placed it on the table. "Oh, no sorry. Nino can you sit next to Alya so I can sit next to Ellie?"

"Ellie?!"

"Ellie?!"

Nino obediently began to scoot across the mahogany table while Alya stared at Adrien in confusion.

"Do you not want to sit across from 'Elle'?" Alya asked.

"Um, no. I mean, I would love to, but it's better if we sit next to each other. We kinda freak out when we make eye contact," Adrien admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

"Ellie, you can come out now," Adrien called.

Both Nino and Alya's jaws' nearly hit the floor as Ladybug, complete with a cute red button up shirt, strode into the dining hall, a tray of rolls in her arms. She set them down and took her seat, which Adrien courteously pulled up for her.

"L-ladybug?" Alya gasped.

Nino just stared.

"Yes? It's Alya, right? I think we've met a few years back, right?" Alya's best friend answered innocently.

The reporter resisted the urge to keel over and die in that perfect moment.

"You know me? I mean, you remember me?" She beamed, completely forgetting that Ladybug quite often counted on her as Rena Rouge.

Ladybug nodded her head. "It's hard to forget one of my biggest fans. Anyways, I'm so glad to get together with you two, you're some of Goldie Locks's best friends."

"Goldie Locks? You mean Adrien? That's sooooo adorable girl… er Ladybug. Is it alright if I call you 'girl'? Anyways, what's up with 'Ellie'? How long have you been dating? Is Chat Noir single? If so would he mind being set up? Where did you get that totally Ladybug shirt?" Alya spitfired.

The heroine tried to keep up with Alya's questions while the reporter fought the urge to remove a notepad and pen from her purse.

"Um… yes, Adrien is Goldie Locks or Goldie, occasionally string bean. I have a few other nicknames for him too. Yes. Ellie? Oh that, let's see. Well obviously he couldn't say Ladybug in public, and it always sounded so formal. So we dropped it to 'LB' which shortened to "Elle" which got cutesified to "Ellie". Um, today makes 41 days since our first date, but just a couple weeks since we decided to become official. I think he is. Um, you'd have to ask Chat… dare I ask why? And uh… I actually made this myself."

Alya looked down at her plate, her cheeks dusted pink. "Well, I've always been a huge LadyNoir fan but for some reason I always thought that Chat would be a really good match for my friend Marinette."

Blushes filled the room, except Nino, who had finally seemed to process that THE Ladybug was sitting at the same table as he was.

"Nice, dude," he whispered to Adrien, bringing the whole table to uproarious laughter.

"Nino, did you finally process who I was?" Ladybug asked through tears.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry dudette," he replied sheepishly.

From there the quartet spent the evening enjoying themselves. When the night had gone on some time and Adrien had offered to show Nino his new TV, Alya finally turned to Ladybug.

"So, my friend Marinette didn't make it. And apparently you can't sit in front of Adrien without losing it. Plus, from the looks of this spotted red button up, you are an amazing designer and semestress…" the detective extraordinaire trailed off, a wide grin on her face.

"Alya, you can't tell anyone. I-"

Alya shot her friend a mischievous look. "I can't tell anyone what _Ladybug_? I was just naming random things that happened today, hoping to make conversation."

Marinette wrapped her friend in a superhug.

"So, you finally got Adrien, huh?" Alya whispered.

**Day 45**

The pair sat on Adrien's band new leather couch, Adrien sitting cross legged on it gazing at the fresh layer of pure white out of the massive glass windows, while Ladybug laid her head on his lap, lost in his emerald eyes.

"So… How are you enjoying Christmas?" Adrien asked.

The statement was rather bland but in reality Adrien was trying to figure out if his girlfriend had gotten him a present.

He had bought her a rather nice one and had the wrapped box hidden in his closet, but when Ladybug had come, he hadn't seen a present in her possession. Fearing that maybe he had misread the situation, Adrien decided to play it safe and wait for his Lady to bring up gifts.

"Oh, fine. I got a few yards of this beautiful silk from my family," Ladybug hinted.

She had accidentally left her gift at the front room when she let herself in Adrien's home. When she got to his room, he hadn't said anything about having a gift for her. Worry had filled her until she was too embarrassed to say that she had brought a gift. She didn't want Adrien thinking she was some super clingy girlfriend who bought super personal gifts right after they had started dating.

And now, the pair were locked in a battle of attrition.

"Yeah, I love getting gifts from family. I feel like giving gifts is a sign of love," Adrien responded.

_"There," Adrien thought,"that should get the message across. Beat that Ellie."_

"Oh, definitely. After all giving gifts is one of the five love languages," Ladybug responded.

_Marinette grinned inwardly as her scheme came together in her mind. "Adrien can't be that dense. Wait, did I basically tell him that giving a gift is like saying 'I love you'? Now I definitely can't give him a gift first._

_"What?" Adrien considered,"did she say that giving a present is basically a confession? Now I definitely can't give her a present first."_

"Haha," Adrien acted, "yeah, I know what you mean about presents Ellie. By the way, have you noticed you can presently present a present to someone in their presence, but you can't giftly gift a gift to someone in their giftence?"

_"Pshhh, Adrien is going to have to do better than that. Let's see how he handles this."_

"Yeah, that is funny, Goldie. By the way who are you giving presents to this year?" The heroine asked victoriously.

Adrien grimaced, trying to think on his feet.

"Oh, well you know, the usual: friends, family, close neighbors. My real question is are you going to give presents to your hero friends like Chat Noir, Rena, and Carapace?"

Ladybug smiled at Adrien's skillful avoidance and redirection.

"Yeah. I think I am, after all, who wouldn't you give a present to?" She said in a last ditch effort.

_"Crap, she's even giving presents to the heroes. Which I guess includes me, but still, I guess Adrien isn't even that important to her," he thought._

The couple maintained their positions, nearly breathless as they realized that their presents would go to waste if they didn't present them.

"Oh, speaking of gifts, I have a -"

"By the way, I got a present for-"

"Go ahead."

"Go ahead."

"I got you a gift downstairs."

"Your present is in my closet."

The pair launched themselves out of the couch, trying to contain their excitement as they met back up at the sofa.

Silently they exchanged gifts and began shredding the wrapping paper. The scraps of paper were like a battlefield, confettified wrappings strewn out all over the leather seat.

Ladybug pulled a large box out of the carnage.

"I-is this a serger for you-me?" She said, staring into Adrien's smiling eyes.

"Yeah, I have a friend who loves fashion and design. She said having a serger would really help her get her work done faster than just a sewing machine. I figured that since you seem to be a really good amateur seamstress yourself, you might like it," he beamed.

Of course he didn't realize that Marinette was Ladybug, and therefore his superhero girlfriend was also his Gabriel fashion intern friend, and that he had just purchased the gift she most wanted in the world.

He looked at her as he held a painting of himself with Ladybug in his arms.

Silent tears flooded his eyes as he hugged her.

Eventually Ladybug returned her head to his legs, not even noticing the mistletoe Adrien had left above them before.

Adrien too forgot about the garnish as he ran his hands through her hair.

Today's results: both heroes won because they got wonderful gifts.

**Day 97**

Adrien ran up the trail, gasping as he caught up to Ladybug.

"Ellie, we should-"

A zing cut him off, as The crimson clad heroine snagged a tree and pulled herself towards it.

Adrien sprinted towards her, cutting through the marked trail, letting out a yelp as his leg got caught in a thorny bush.

Ladybug flicked her wrist, and a moment later was by his side. Carefully she helped pull off the bladed brambles that had embedded themselves into his leg.

"Surprise, surprise. The brainless model got himself hurt," Ladybug inveighed as she leered at his ensnared leg.

"Hey, Ellie, what did I do this time?" Adrien groaned as another prickly thorn was ripped out of his leg.

"Maybe that my idiot boyfriend just about got himself killed this morning?" She glared, careful not to look at his eyes, lest she be turned into a blathering idiot.

"What?! That?" He asked.

"Yeah, 'that'! You know,I barely manage to let Chat throw himself in the line of fire, and that's because he has a super suit to take most of the hit. But you…" she said, as seething rage transformed into a sobbing request.

Adrien looked shocked as he yanked at another bramble.

"Please, Goldie, please promise you'll never do that again!" She pleaded.

"But… but Chat's been slacking lately. And it doesn't matter what Mayura throws at us. As long as you survive you can always 'Miraculous Ladybug' things back," Adrien pointed out, trying to sound more rational rather than defiant.

Ladybug shook her head."I don't ever want to watch you die, even if I can 'undo' it. Promise me you won't ever use yourself as a human shield again. Promise me, Adrien!" She demanded, tears slipping down her face.

The blond looked up at her, ignoring the spikes still stuck in his calf. "Y-you don't g-get it," he began as tears of his own formed,"I have to watch tho-those amoks beat the crap out of you all the time as M-mayura sends them at you nonstop! And I-I can-can't bear it. I can't keep watching the g-g-g-girl I l-love get hurt."

She looked back at him. "You-you are loves me? You loving me? You love me?"

Adrien nodded.

"I- I love y-you too," she stuttered as she stared into his eyes.

**Day 154**

"You piece of garbage!" She yelled across the spacious room.

Adrien stared at her triumphantly, as he leaned back on his couch, looking above him at the massive library within his room. "You're just mad that I finally won!" He smirked.

"It doesn't count if you tickle-ambush me in the middle of the game!" The spotted heroine growled while throwing a pillow at Adrien's overly smug face.

It hit him with a hollow thump, tousling his perfectly arranged locks. Adrien responded without so much as a flinch.

"Really?! I looked in the official Ultimate Mecha Strike 5 instruction manual, and I could not find one instance of tickling the loser." His emerald eyes glistened with childlike ecstacy.

"I only lost BECAUSE you tickled me, you smug… smug toasted marshmallow!"

"Toasted marshmallow?" Adrien repeated with a frown.

"Yeah. Very hot, super sweet, but full of hot air."

"Ouch, I'm wounded," he groaned while smiling at the pun, clutching his heart as he histrionically tumbled to the ground, eyes affixed to the ceiling, and tongue limply hanging from the side of his mouth.

Ladybug walked towards the would-be corpse, examining it. She kicked Adrien's foot, then placed her hand on his chest, gently running it down to his navel. The cadaver, stiffened, but otherwise remained inanimate. As a final attempt to get a reaction she began to lower herself towards his face.

"Oh, could it be? My favorite treat? It is!" She squealed in ferocity, suddenly descending downward and carefully clamping his lifeless tongue between her lips.

The carcass started in surprise, then lisped a response.

"Wuh zhu hik awe yuu drawing?"

(What the heck are you doing?)

"Mmm mm-mm mm mm-mm mm," she explained, or rather didn't.

"Wuh?"

His girlfriend, now fully straddling him, released his trapped tongue. She remained a few inches from his face, her warm breath caressing his cheeks with every exhale.

"I said 'I'm having a tasty snack," she said in a tone that was both matter-of-fact and seductively temptuous.

As she licked her lips, Adrien gave in and pulled her close for a passionate kiss. When they separated, both teens were panting, ear to ear grins spread across their faces.

Ladybug walked to the coffee table next to them and picked up both controllers, throwing one to Adrien. "That was your reward for 'winning'. I'll let you imagine the prize could be if you _actually _win."

Her malevolent smile completely entranced the young model.

"Hey, Darling?" He said.

"Yes Hot Stuff?" She responded equally affectionately.

"Promise me you'll never change?"

"I promise, mon chérie."

When Ladybug left to go have dinner, Adrien looked at the paper she had delicately folded in the video game's case. The running tally for Ultimate Mecha Strike 5, with each victory marked under the name of the matches' champion.

"She hasn't come over that often, has she?!" Plagg, who had previously hidden away in a pile of camembert, asked.

"No, unfortunately not. A lot of these are from our online matches," Adrien responded.

On the scratch paper scorecard there were 486 tallies by her name, and a single line on his side of the paper.

**Day 159**

"Give it back!" Adrien cried, jumping at the tree Ladybug was perched in. Her legs dangled from the limb she was on as she looked through the album on his phone.

Ladybug shook her head. "No, Adrien. It's weird. I'm deleting them all."

An expression of horror spread across his face. "You can't! I love those pictures."

"And that's the problem. You have over 1100 photos of me on your phone, and that's just the file of pictures you found online and from the Ladyblog. I would be thrilled if you just had a ton of selfies of us, but this goes from good boyfriend to completely obsessive," she insisted.

Adrien sighed. "Didn't you admit that you had a whole wall of photos of me once?"

"That's besides the point," Ladybug murmured,"besides, they're mostly fashion designs anyways."

Adrien stood his ground. "If I recall you told me you adored my modeling and 'have a whole wall dedicated just to you'?"

Ladybug snorted. "Hahaha, it is kinda funny if you think about it that way. Tell you what, chose 1 nonpersonal photo and you can keep it. I'll do the same."

Adrien decided to keep his kiss with Ladybug during the whole "Oblivio debacle". Not that he would tell her though.

**Day 164**

"Please for the love of Kwamis, tell me you're joking!" Ladybug screamed.

"I believe Chat Noir would say 'Unfur-tunately I'm not kitten you'," Adrien giggled.

"Please, I was counting on you, Goldie Locks!" She pleaded.

"You were fine with some of my other puns. On our fifth date you lost it when said 'I bagel your pardon?' To that stingy baker, you almost lost it."

"I was caught off guard. Anyways, whatever you say, I forbid cat puns, got it?" She begged.

"Meow you're being unreasonable."

**Day 204**

"Are you sure you're ok, Ellie?" Adrien asked. They walked through the moonlit park at an unusually brisk pace, something Ladybug only did when she was upset.

"I told you I'm _completely _fine. Why wouldn't I be? After all, Kagami is 'just a friend'," Ladybug grumbled.

"Exactly!" Adrien responded in a cheery manner,"I'm glad you get it now."

To his confusion, his girlfriend picked up her pace rather than slowing it down. Normally he wouldn't have minded speed walking through the park, but yesterday had been an intense 2 hour fight with a particularly resilient amok, and he was still recovering from some nasty bruises.

"Wait," he said,grabbing her by the wrist. She twisted her heels, coming face to face with him. He was doubly shocked to see a fire in her eyes and tears on her face. She turned her head, burying it in his shoulder.

"Don't you see it Adrien? Kagami loves you! She's ok being 'just friends' because she's a ruthless hyena, waiting for things to go wrong before she steals you away from me!"

Adrien pulled Ladybug close, her red hoodie pressing against his matching green one.

"Ellie, I love you. If you really won't feel any better until I tell her we aren't friends anymore, I'll do it," he soothed.

"It's not that you can't see her," Ladybug sniffled,"I just don't want the two of you to be alone together."

Adrien nodded then grinned. "And does this apply for Chloe too?"

"Oh no," the heroine giggled,"I know how much she annoys you. She's welcome to stay the night at your place. "

The pair laughed, falling into the dimly lit grassy meadow and gazing up at the stars.

"Ellie, I'd rather die than let Chloe sleep over."

**Day 366**

"Happy anniversary," Adrien smiled.

The pair were seated next to each other on the rooftop of some fancy restaurant, the name of which Ladybug couldn't recall at the moment. Not that she cared to; right now she was just thrilled Adrien had pulled some strings and found a staff that were discreet enough that she wasn't forced to wear an elaborate disguise. It was at times like those that she wished she could tell Adrien her identity.

For now though, she was content to share a quiche and strawberry cheesecake with Adrien.

"Hey, Hottie, I thought fancy restaurants had _small_ portions?" She asked as she stared at the slice of cheesecake. It had to be at least half of an entire cheesecake.

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, they do, but when you hear Ladybug and Adrien Agreste would like to have dinner at your establishment, and Adrien's willing to rent out the WHOLE roof… well let's just say with what I'm paying I'm surprised they didn't send a violinist to serenade u-"

As if on queue, a stringed quartet began a romantic melody.

"Oh, there it is," Adrien grinned,"I wondered when they'd get here."

Ladybug smiled. She and Adrien had had a lot of ups and downs in their relationship, and in the process, she had learned that in some ways, he was ten times the man she thought he was, and at the same time, she had finally learned he wasn't perfect.

But at the same time, he was purrfect for her. A guy who encouraged her to grow, and grow alongside her. Together they had overcome anxiety, fears of abandonment, jealousy, infatuation, and childishness. In the end they had truly fallen in love.

Marinette only wished she could find a way to tell Adrien who she really was.

"Hey, Ellie, you ok? You look a little upset," Adrien consoled, looking at her hands.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just lost in thought," she mumbled, reaching for his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

**Day 409**

Adrien sat on his couch, now several months old, and filled with memories and the faint scent of camembert. Next to him was Ladybug, his Lady, nestled under his arm, singing along to the TV.

Adrien was happy to let her go through his entire sing-along collection of Disney movies, but he knew at some point he would have to summon his courage.

"Hey, uh… Ladybug. Can I talk to you?" He asked as 'Breaking Free' hit it's final chord.

"Yeah," Ellie responded, hitting the pause button on the remote,"what's up?"

Adrien looked at her, his voice shaky before he could even speak.

"If I asked you to do something, would you trust me 100%?" He uttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ladybug's face went beet red. "Well, uh, I didn't think we were quite ready for that stage of our relationship, but if you asked, I would trust you," she breathed, not daring to look at him.

Adrien nodded. "It sounds like you already know what I'm asking. I guess… are you ready?"

She looked at him nervously. "You mean right here?"

"Yeah, I can't think of a better time to tell me your identity," Adrien said thoughtfully.

"Wait, you just want to know my identity?" Ellie gasped, a sigh of relief visible.

Adrien figitted on the leather cushion. "Yeah, what did you think I meant?"

"Nothing. But maybe it would be better if I showed you who I was. Tikki, spots off."

Instantly Adrien was grinning ear to ear, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Yes! Yes! How am I so lucky?" He whispered to himself. Marinette could feel her heart soar as Adrien confidently showed his joy.

"You're really happy it's me?" She asked.

"You have no idea Elli-Mari- how about I just call you my wife?" He asked, sliding from his seat to his knee in one fluid motion. In his hands he held a shimmering white gold ring, a brilliant red ruby in the center.

He looked into her eyes, tears gleaming with joy.

"Milady Marinette Ladybug Ellie Bugaboo Dupain-Cheng, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?"

Marinette looked back into his eyes, her mind locked on a couple of the names. "Milady? Bugaboo?"

"Yeah, I guess I should explain. Plagg claws out!" He declared.

"Oh, Chat! I can't believe you actually won my heart. Yo pun loving kitty, of course I'll marry you," she said, pulling him into a kiss.

As they pulled apart, Adrien looked at his fianceè, who had slipped the ring onto her finger. "Ellie, er Marinette- I'm going to make that mistake a lot. I'm so happy I get to spend my life with you."

"Oh my beautiful ray of sunshine. I'm so happy too. Oh and Adrien, you can call me anything you want, as long as you call me yours."


	25. The Earrings

_Author's Note: MR here. I really should have more faith in my fellow writers, but, I wasn't sure that Ic would have his epic finished (Sorry!) So you get a bonus story. Consider this chapter 24.5_

_Bonus points to me, because none of my co-authors have seen this story yet… *laughs evilly*_

* * *

_Reveal: Marinette, Adrien, Nino, Luka_

* * *

Marinette Dupain-Cheng walked along the streets of Paris with her earbuds in, listening to the newest Kitty Section recordings that Juleka had just put on her phone. She knew it was a bad idea to walk around, unaware of her surroundings, but these songs were just so inspirational. She was getting all kinds of ideas both for clothing, and the cover of Kitty Section's first album.

Humming along to her new favorite song, Marinette didn't hear the screams that would normally have alerted her that there was an akuma in the vicinity. She saw a black blur at the edge of her vision, and, turning that direction, saw Chat Noir on a rooftop at the end of the block, waving desperately at her. She pulled out her earbuds to see if she could catch what he was saying, when she felt herself scooped up into the air and tossed like a ragdoll onto the roof where Chat Noir stood.

Marinette moaned and tried to stand, but every inch of her body protested. Looking down at herself, she could see that her leg was broken, and from the feeling in her chest, several ribs probably were, too. She comforted herself with the knowledge that at least she could wiggle the toes on the leg that wasn't broken.

Chat bent down to check her over. "Are you alright, Princess? What were you thinking, just walking through an area where an akuma was? And don't you know better than to not be aware of your surroundings?"

Marinette hung her head, then winced at the throbbing that started up in it, looking up again when Chat pulled out his baton, and tried to call Ladybug. He sighed when she didn't pick up. "I don't know what's keeping Ladybug today. I hope she's alright."

"Are you out here fighting the Akuma on your own, Chat?"

"No. The boys are here with me, Carapace and Viperion."

Marinette did a quick assessment of how she was feeling, and realized that transformed, she would be more of a liability than an asset. Tikki must have agreed with her thinking, because she felt a little pressure on her stomach, where her purse was resting. "Um, Chat? Do you think that you could possibly send Viperion to me?"

"I'm sorry princess. I can't ask him to use Second Chance to heal you. I still wouldn't know to alert you in time. Ladybug will fix you up." The _when she arrives_ went unspoken, but both felt it hanging in the air.

"No. It's not about that, it's something else." Marinette blushed, and Chat realized that Marinette and Luka were pretty close, but there was no way she knew who was under Viperion's mask. He thought it over, and, deciding it would't hurt to regroup anyway, used his baton to call both Viperion and Carapace to their location.

Both boys arrived within seconds, Viperion dropping to his knees next to her when he saw her. "Viperion. I need you to do something for me." Marinette glanced down at her purse, then reached up and started removing her earrings. "I need you to put these on."

Viperion looked up at Chat and Carapace, confused, before looking back at Marinette. "You want me to wear your earrings? Now?"

"Yes. You're the only other one here with pierced ears. It has to be you."

"Can't it wait, Marinette? I promise you Ladybug will fix everything, and you can hand out jewelry to people then…" He trailed off, pieces starting to fall into place. Handing out jewelry. Earrings.

Marinette saw the pieces click into place for Chat as his mouth dropped open. "Wait. You. He. Earrings?"

Smiling, Marinette held out the earrings to Viperion again. "Viperion. These earrings are the Miraculous of the Ladybug which grants the powers of Lucky Charm and Miraculous Ladybug. You will return them to me when the job is done. Can I trust you?"

Viperion stared blankly at her for a moment, and then burst out laughing, as he took the earrings from her hand, nodding. "I've suspected for a while now. You truly are an amazing girl, Marinette!" She blushed, and he dropped the gauges that he'd removed from his own ears into her hand. "Will you hold onto these for me?" Sliding the miraculous into his own ears, he started only slightly as Tikki appeared in front of him. "Should I detransform and become Ladybug?"

"No. You can wear both by asking Sass and Tikki to unify, although if you've already set Second Chance, it might not be a bad idea to recharge first."

Nodding Viperion looked around. "Here, or…?"

"Here's fine. I think we're going to have a long discussion after this. All of us."

Carapace who had been quiet up until now looked at Marinette and then at the others. "Marinette, Ladydude, thank you for trusting me with your identity. If you don't want me to know the others, I can slip away afterwards. No offence."

"No, Carapace. You are part of this team, too. I trust you. Meet me back here afterwards, all of you."

A flash of yellow light left Luka Couffaine standing there, reaching into his pocket for a snack for Sass. In the months since he and a few others had been allowed to keep their miraculous on a permanent basis, the pair of them had really become an excellent team, often communicating without words. This was obviously one of those times, with a few glances and a reassuring gesture from Sass, the snack was soon gone, and Luka once again became Viperion.

Standing tall, he clasped his hands together, calling out "Tikki, Sass, unify!" The flash of yellow and pink light resulted in a transformed Viperbug standing before them.

The costume design was basically the same, but the suit itself was black. Large teal polka dots covered the suit, and his boots and hair were a much darker red than on Ladybug's suit. He reset Second Chance, then with a shrug, pulled the yo-yo off of his hip and spun it experimentally. He glanced at Chat Noir, who gave him a two fingered salute before leaping off the roof and chasing after the akuma. Viperbug and Carapace followed, both throwing one last glance at Marinette.

Marinette could see much of the fight from her vantage point on the roof. She stumbled to the edge, as close as she was safely able, and watched as Viperbug called for his Lucky Charm while Chat distracted the akuma and Carapace ran interference. Once Viperbug realized what to do with the bicycle helmet he'd received, the akuma was quickly dispatched, and Paris set back to normal. Once the three heroes reconvened on the roof, a once-again-healthy Marinette immediately apologized.

With a wink at Viperbug she explained that she had been caught up in the new music she'd just been given and wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings. He blushed, and immediately separated Sass and Tikki to cover how flustered he was, as he took out the earrings and handed them back to Marinette. She returned them to her ears, handing Viperion back his earrings in return.

The simultaneous beeping of three miraculous fill the air, and while Viperion is near the end of his timer, Chat is down a minute, and Carapace down two. The boys looked around at each other, before all turning to Marinette for instructions. "Carapace and Viperion, you can stay. I already know your identities, as I'm the one who originally gave you your miraculous. Chat, the choice is yours.

Having revealed himself earlier, Viperion completely dropped his transformation, feeding Sass, and dropping to sit on the roof. Marinette sat next to him, and with a shrug, Carapace let go of his transformation, offering a treat to Wayzz, as Nino sat down on Marinette's other side. The three looked expectantly up at Chat, who was looking back and forth between Marinette and Nino like he was at a ping pong tournament.

Finally he sat down, across from Marinette, completing their little circle, and released his kwami from his ring. As Plagg started to complain about needing food, Adrien mechanically fished a piece of camembert out of his pocket, then waved shyly at Marinette, who was desperately trying to pick her jaw up off the ground.

Once she was finally able to close her mouth, she launched herself at Adrien, engulfing him in a huge hug, sending the pair toppling to the ground. Blushing bright red, Marinette pushed herself up, and pulled Adrien back up as well. "Hi Kitty." She grinned at him.

"Hi Bugaboo."

The grin slid off her face. "Don't call me that." She sighed, preparing herself for her school days to now be filled with cat puns and bad jokes.


	26. A Miraculous Christmas Carol

_Author's Note: MR: This story was written by all of us; adapted from the well known work by Charles Dickens. Once I discovered that there was ACTUALLY a Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, it was something that begged to be included in this story. Happy Christmas, everyone!_

_Ep: I've been doing a lot of research for this. Thank goodness I have both the Muppet Christmas Carol and Mickey's Christmas Carol on DVD._

_MR: Not the one starring Patrick Stewart? I'm shocked!_

_Ep: (scribbles on paper)... S-T-E-W-A-R-T. That name seems familiar, I'll check out IMDB when you unlock us from the writer's room._

_MR: Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even the writers who are supposed to be finishing this story…_

_Lyra: *peeking her head out of the kitchen while covered in cookie dough* Shoot! Writing! … I forgot. Here. Have a cookie? _

_MR: *drops everything* COOKIES!_

_Ep: Hey - these small ones with the green cat paw logos are purrfect!_

* * *

The akuma was free. There was no doubt whatsoever about that as she watched the little white butterfly flutter urgently into the evening sky, dodging heavy snowflakes as they fell. Chat crouched beside the dazed man who had been trying to kill them only moments before, providing a hand of help and comfort.

What kind of villain turned innocent people into akumas on Christmas Eve? Visions of a miserly old Hawkmoth sequestered in his hideout surrounded by butterflies snarling "Bah Humbug" drifted across her thoughts as she tried not to laugh at Chat's attempts to shake the snow free from his hair.

Her breath puffed in cold clouds in front of her face while she waited, the chirping sound of her earrings' warning her that she only had a few minutes left before she would change back. His ring sounded only a moment later, bringing his attention back to her.

"I should go," she said as he came close, her hand already grasping at her yo-yo for escape. "Merry Christmas, Kitty." He shifted uncomfortably, hand rubbing against his neck as he avoided looking at her.

"Ladybug, I -" He cut himself off, a look of embarrassment flashing across his features behind the mask. "Nevermind." Her earring chirped again. "Merry Christmas." Shoulders slumped ever so slightly, he attempted to cover it all with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Reaching out, Ladybug took his hand.

"What is it, Chat? Something is bothering you."

"It's silly really. I - I - Christmas is hard for me. I was hoping -" He dropped his gaze. "I was hoping maybe you could sit with me tonight. I don't want to be alone."

Alone? On Christmas? She blinked, studying her partner more closely. Questions that she'd always puzzled but never allowed herself to indulge in rattled in her brain, wondering about who exactly was behind the mask and the life that he had.

"That's not silly, Kitty. Everyone deserves to have someone at Christmas." A gentle squeeze of her hand in his for reassurance. "I've got a present for you, so let's meet up tonight." Mentally running through a list of family obligations for the evening, she suggested they run patrol at their usual late hour first.

The way his face lit up at her offer was more than enough to counter the feeling of worry she had for him. A stretch of her toes allowed her to leave him with a quick peck on his cheek, a promise that she would be back before she waved and flung the yo-yo before her earrings sounded their final warning.

* * *

It was very late on Christmas Eve Night when Ladybug and Chat Noir finished patrolling the city and sat on the roof of the Musee de l'Armee to exchange Christmas presents. The snow was falling lightly, and their view of the Eiffel Tower, all lit up for the holiday, was breathtaking. Almost as breathtaking, Chat thought, as the girl sitting next to him.

He grinned, ripping the green paper off of his gift to reveal a Black beanie with triangles on the top to cover his ears. It was loosely woven so his hearing wouldn't be affected, but soft enough to keep them warm. Tucked inside the beanie was a large bag, containing several varieties of Christmas cookies.

The red paper from his gift to Ladybug lay next to them. She was already snuggled under the fleece blanket that proudly displayed the logo for Ultimate Mecha Strike III, the game she claimed was her favorite.

As they sat there, Chat in his hat and Ladybug with the blanket thrown over the two of them, her head on his shoulder, Chat started devouring the cookies in front of him. He offered one to Ladybug, only to receive no reply. Turning his head to peer at her, he realized she had fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he leaned his head against hers, and the next thing he knew, the bells of the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal were chiming midnight.

Each peal of the bell reminded him of how lucky he was to be sitting there, with Ladybug; more so, given how he typically would have been sequestered away in his sterile bedroom at the mansion, thinking of happier Christmases past. Sighing contentedly, and maybe, just maybe, purring slightly, he started to lean his blond mane against his partner once more to savor the change from Eve to Day.

As the final note of the final stroke of midnight dissipated, however, his night vision caught a movement in his periphery, and he carefully shifted. His masked eyes widened to see two individuals gliding effortlessly across the tile toward him and Ladybug; Chat went into full hero mode when he realized their feet were not touching the roof, nor did they appear to be making any effort to actually _move_, though moving they were.

Ladybug felt Chat's movements as he slid in front of her, the fleece blanket sliding to the tile. Opening her eyes, she saw him in his pounce-crouch stance, baton twirling, and she looked over him to she what had attracted his attention - and the low growl he was now making.

To her astonishment, a version of Ladybug and Chat Noir were approaching, though how she _knew_ they were Miraculous holders was beyond her. Their costumes were wildly different; her first thought was that they were of a different time, given the Victorian-esque styling. Still, Ladybug had the requisite black polka-dots against yards of flowing red fabric, and Chat was looking very gentlemanly in unrelieved black, with a day-glo green cravat. Odder still was the slightly washed out look for both, making them appear to be fuzzy, or perhaps just in soft-focus.

"Stay behind me," Chat growled as the floating duo neared them and paused a respectful few meters away from them..

Ladybug looked again at their unexpected visitors. "I don't think they're akumas," she said thoughtfully.

"Indeed we are not, Madame," Apparation-Chat said as he bowed, twirling his cane in the process. "We are two of the former holders of the Cat and Bug Miraculous."

"How former?" Chat asked, still crouched and still slightly growling.

"My, my," Apparation-Ladybug laughed as she turned her masked eyes to her partner. "Some things never change, my dear. He's just as protective as you are - or were." She turned back to Chat. "We're not here to harm you - in fact, just the opposite."

Ladybug nodded. "You're ghosts, aren't you?"

Apparation-Chat shrugged. "Think of us as echoes of people who had been."

"Why are you here?" Chat asked as he stowed his baton and stood, but kept Ladybug behind him.

"To help the two of you," Apparation-Ladybug smiled. "In all of the years that we were holders," she nodded to Apparation-Chat, "Chat and I never shared the ultimate secret with each other." Apparation-Ladybug's eyes misted over as she continued. "It's a lasting regret that we now both share; we will spend eternity together, doomed to never know who we once were beneath the masks."

Chat's sharp intake of breath caught Ladybug. "You… wait, even _now_, you don't know?"

"We only carry what we knew forward to the afterlife," Apparation-Chat replied sadly. "And we've been forced to watch, helplessly, as it happened over and over again to our successors in the intervening hundred years since we shuffled off this mortal coil."

Apparation-Ladybug continued. "Miraculously, we've been granted the opportunity to break the cycle. I don't know how, or who was listening, but I thank the kwamis we are here in this moment."

Ladybug stiffened. "You must know how dangerous it is," she said slowly, looking at her Chat. "We can't know who is under the mask! Our enemies would use that against us, maybe even hurt our families and loved ones."

"Tonight we will try to show you that the rewards to knowing far outweigh the risks," Apparation-Ladybug said as she softened her smile. "It's up to you, of course," she added, looking back at her glowing partner, "but you have this one chance to avoid our fate."

Apparation-Chat nodded. "Three spirits will appear to you; look for the first when the bells in chapel ring out for one o'clock. Bide them, and listen well; there are lessons to be learned on this early morning."

"I'm not sure I'll change my mind," Ladybug said, "but out of respect for fellow holders, I will listen."

"That's all we ask," Apparation-Ladybug said. "And now, our time grows short. Look for us no more."

"Good luck," Apparation-Chat said as he bowed again, and then the two ghosts slowly moved away from them and into the night.

Chat looked to Ladybug. "Is this for real? Are we actually going to be visited by _more _ghosts?"

"Says the boy in a magical cat costume," Ladybug replied wryly as she settled back in on the roof and held out the blanket. "Come on, kitty; it's cold, and I'd like to get a bit of a rest before our adventure continues."

Not one to be asked twice, Chat flipped to Ladybug and snuggled under the blanket, and the duo quickly dozed off to troubled dreams of specters bearing gifts.

* * *

The chimes of the one o'clock hour from the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal woke Chat with a start. He quickly scanned the rooftops and didn't immediately see any sign of the promised ghosts, and wondered if he'd actually dreamed the entire sequence with the prior holders. He shifted slightly and pulled the blanket a little tighter around them.

Ladybug stirred next to him, and they both sat there for a little while, blinking and rubbing their eyes as they struggled to wake up. A flash of green light to their left had them turning to peer at the small man in the large hat who appeared out of nowhere.

Pressing the palms of his hands together, he bowed to the pair of them. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Jade Turtle, the Spirit of Miraculous Past. I have come to show you some of the greatest triumphs and losses of previous miraculous holders. Learn from them, so you can defeat those nightmares which haunt you now."

Ladybug looked to Chat and then back to Jade Turtle. "Are you the first spirit that was foretold?" she asked, again looking back to Chat.

"I am," Jade Turtle continued to smile. "Come closer, and grab ahold of my arm!"

Chat stood, and helped Ladybug to her feet. Pausing, he asked her quietly: "Ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said. "But be prepared, just in case this is some sort of wildly choreographed Hawkmoth trap."

Jade smiled wider. "My children, have no fear; no harm will come to you."

"You can appreciate our caution," Chat said as they each took up position on either side of the diminutive figure. "Given what we deal with daily."

"I do," he said. "Hold on tight," the turtle spirit said as they quickly moved into the skies above Paris. Faster and faster they went, the clouds obscuring their path until both heroes lost track of their location. Then, before they knew it, they were gently landing inside a courtyard.

"Do you recognize this place?" Jade Turtle asked.

Ladybug looked around, as did Chat. The feline hero was the first to speak. "It looks like Dupont," he said, "but it's not quite the same."

Jade laughed. "It _is_ Dupont, but we are more than a century of Christmases before your time."

"Is this your school?" Ladybug asked Jade Turtle, only partly hearing what he'd said.

"No, but two holders _do_ attend."

Ladybug caught Chat stiffening. "At this time?" he quickly asked, hoping to clarify and also divert Ladybug's attention from his reaction.

Ladybug started. "Wait - we time travelled? How did we-"

"These are but echoes of the past, my dear young lady," Jade replied. "And class is about to begin."

Automatically, the duo's eyes swung to the massive doors; they parted to allow a flow of teenagers in matching school uniforms into the courtyard. Jade pointed out one particular pair - a young girl with blond hair and similarly aged boy with dark brown hair. Both seemed to be hanging back from the crowd, scanning the space for threats and completely oblivious to the other.

Chat stared at them. "_That's_ Chat and Ladybug? In this time?"

"Yes," Jade replied as the trio watched them go to opposite parts of the school. "They don't get the opportunity to learn together, sadly; mixed classes are still a few decades away. But they do fight side-by-side most effectively."

The scene blurred for a moment and they were suddenly standing in Trocadero; Ladybug gasped to see a figured in unrelieved black and kitty ears perched atop the wall. The costume was different - not as form fitting as her current partner - but there was no denying it was the Cat Miraculous holder.

It was also clear that he was sobbing.

"Tonight is the night," Jade Turtle said.

"For what?" Ladybug asked, though she thought she knew.

"It's Christmas Eve," Jade said. "And the night Ladybug takes Chat's Miraculous."

Ladybug turned on Jade. "Why on Earth would she do that?"

"Simple," Jade said. "Chat loves her, and she loves Chat; but she feels that following through on that love will put them in danger." He paused. "Chat forced the issue by threatening to give up the ring if she didn't let them reveal themselves to each other."

Chat started to say something but caught himself. Instead, he deliberately avoided Ladybug's gaze as he said, "Sounds like something I would do."

"Ladybug accepted his offer," Jade said, "rather than adjust their reality. After tonight, the young man in that costume will ask to change schools and ultimately will move away from Paris, never to return."

"What happens to Ladybug?" Chat asked, very quietly.

"She never recovers from the heartbreak of losing her Chat," Jade said. "She'll give up the Bug Miraculous by the following Christmas and will wonder until her last breath what happened to her partner."

"That… seems harsh," Ladybug said.

Jade looked at Ladybug, hard. "Secret identities protect the people they love, isn't that what you always say?"

Before Ladybug could respond, the scene changed again. This time, they were in the halls of a good sized mansion, done in huge blocks of granite. Massive chandeliers of wax candles were flickering above them, lending a bit of a supernatural air to the scene as they watched a beautiful woman in a flowing gown bustle by, trailed by her ladies-in-waiting. "This is the Christmas before the French Revolution," Jade said. "And that is Lady Renalta. By day, she is the daughter of a minor noble; but by night, she is Ladybug."

The trio watched as the elegant figure paused at a doorway and dismissed her underlings; she entered the room and they followed by passing through the wall in time to see Lady Renalta fall into the arms of a tall, handsome man nattily dressed in black. "Lord Chaton," Renalta said with a smile. "How are the kittens?"

Chat Noir's eyes bugged out. "Is that… her _husband_?"

"Yes," Jade Turtle. "That is Lord Agreste."

Chat started. "Lord _who_?"

Jade turned to the feline hero. "Lord Agreste. He's a wealthy merchant, specializing in exotic cloth from the Far East." He nodded to the man. "He's also Chat Noir."

"What?!" both Chat and Ladybug exclaimed.

"Yes," Jade replied with a smile. "And they have children, too," he added as a nursemaid appeared holding a small child wrapped in a blanket and holding the hand of another child of no more than five.

Ladybug stared. "How can they be superheroes _and_ have a family?" she asked. "Have a life?"

"They make it work," Chat actually answered, a small smile on his face. "Isn't that it?"

Jade nodded. "They love each other fiercely," he said as Lord Agreste knelt down to hug his child. "And would do anything to keep the City of Paris safe." He paused, looking at the duo. "When you love something - or someone - enough, you find a way."

"Love finds a way," Chat added softly.

Suddenly looking tired, Jade smiled. "My time grows short. Please, each take an arm. Hurry now!"

Chat and Ladybug did as instructed and before they knew it, they were once more atop the Musee de l'Armee. As the mists began to part, Jade smiled once more. "My children, I must leave you now. A compatriot of mine will appear when the bells chime one o'clock."

"Wasn't it _already_ one?" Chat asked Ladybug, only to watch her move around him.

"Jade - wait!" Ladybug cried out, holding up a gloved hand to stop the spirit. "Honestly, were those really former holders?"

The Turtle nodded. "Yes," he said as he bowed and then added as he faded from existence: "I've shown you the truth from the past. May you use it wisely to inform your future."

* * *

As Jade Turtle faded from sight, the bells from the Miraculous Chapel chimed one o'clock once more. A flash of teal light revealed Viperion standing before them, smiling down at them. "I am Viperion, the Spirit of Miraculous Present."

Ladybug looked closely at Viperion. He looked similar to their Viperion, only older. As she moved to question him on this, he smiled gently at her. "I am not the Viperion that you know. You both know my name." He turned so that his smile included Chat as well. "I am from about 15 years in your future." He pulled out his lyre and strummed as he explained.

"I have been sent to show you a glimpse of the lives of your fellow chosen holders of the Miraculous. Ladybug knows the identity of all of them, and this will be Chat Noir's chance to learn the identities of all the holders. Fear not, it has been destined that the identities of ALL holders will be revealed this night. Including the two of you."

With that, Viperion tucked away the lyre and held out his hand. Ladybug slipped her hand into his, clutching it tightly, not letting go of Chat Noir with her other hand. They all leapt together into the air, and somehow landed in the warm sunlight-dappled dining room of the Grand Paris Hotel.

Viperion flicked back the snake head on his Miraculous. "In five minutes, we will be transported to the home of the next miraculous holder, but for now…" He gestured to a table where Chloe sat with her parents. Audrey and Andre were bickering, and Chloe just sat there, watching. As the three approached, Ladybug saw a tear slip down her cheek, to be quickly whisked away by a perfectly manicured finger.

Chat was the first of the three to speak. "Chloe?" His voice was soft in the mostly empty room. She sat there with a small pile of presents in front of her, mostly expensive jewelry, and other accessories, including a highly glamorized version of the bee miraculous hair comb, which she was turning over and over in her hands, as she watched her parents.

"She can't hear you. This is only an echo of things to come this Christmas day."

They watched Chloe watching her parents, until she stood, and looked sadly at them. The mayor and Mrs. Bourgeois didn't even look up from their argument to see her leaving. The ghostly trio followed her up to her room where she flopped in a chair, the tears coming more freely now. Opening her hand, Chloe looked down at the imitation Miraculous.

"Oh Pollen. I _want_ to be a better person. I know that Ladybug no longer believes in me, so why should I believe in me. No. Chloe Bourgeois IS worthy of a miraculous. I am amazing. I just have to prove it."

Chloe was still making herself and her imaginary Pollen promises as the scene in front of them faded to be replaced by a small, but comfortable home. Delicious smells wafted in from the kitchen, and there was off-key singing that followed the smells.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were pulled towards the source, looking in on Max, standing at the kitchen counter chopping vegetables, while his mother made sauce at the stove. Both were grinning ear to ear, while music poured from Markov, and they warbled along to the happy Christmas tunes, not quite getting the notes or the words correct.

Ladybug smiled at the scene, as the song ended and talk turned to the space program. Chat Noir's expression was more wistful, a longing there that Ladybug couldn't quite understand. Viperion quietly appeared behind them, placing a comforting hand on Chat's shoulder. Chat looked up at him gratefully, smiling wistfully at the older hero. "Not all single parent homes are cold, Chat. And as you saw with Chloe, just because both parents are present doesn't always mean things are better. Sometimes two parents just means twice the fighting."

Looking off into the distance, Viperion heard his miraculous beeped, and the scene around them started to fade. Once it re-solidified, they felt the gentle rocking of the Seine under their feet, and they looked around the colorfully decorated deck of the Liberty. Ladybug reached over to Viperion, placing her hand against his arm. "Your house."

He nodded. "With all her disregard for the standards of society, my mom made our home a happy one." Leading the way below decks, they entered a room blaring rock Christmas carols, a tiny tree on top of a corner table, with a load of gifts piled underneath, while Luka cowered behind it, while a triumphant Juleka stood on the couch, faux snowball in hand, arm cocked back, ready to throw at her brother the moment he showed himself.

Luka's hands were empty, but the scattering of artificial snowballs around the room showed that he had made a fair attempt at hitting her. Both siblings were cackling, while Anarka watched from the doorway, smiling at the pair of them, cheering them each on in turn.

Once again, the smell of a feast cooking in the galley permeated the room, and Chat looked wistfully at the scene in front of him. "I always wanted a sibling. I have a cousin who is close to me in age, but we don't live close. We always got along when he was in town, though."

"I never had a sibling, either." Ladybug smiled at her partner, wrapping her hands around his arm and resting her head against his shoulder. "It looks like so much fun."

Viperion smiled down at both of them. "I'm lucky. I have a great sister. You get really close living like this, sharing a room and everything. And the way things worked out..." He trailed off and shrugged.

They watched Luka glance around, then tuck and roll towards a pile of snowballs, snatching up a couple and launching them at his sister. Juleka squealed and dropped, rolling to the floor and stocking up on snowballs of her own as Luka dived for cover.

They watched for a little while longer, until they heard a beep, and the scene faded once again. The scene resolidified around them in an unfamiliar living room, but once again, delicious smells wafted around them. Looking around, they saw that the room was immaculate. Nothing was out of place, no speck of lint or stray needle from the Christmas tree to be found.

Chat looked around, wondering how something as austere as his home could still appear welcoming. A timer sounded from the kitchen, and a familiar voice called out. "Don't worry Mom! I'll grab it." The sound of an oven door opening, quickly followed by swearing. "Forgot the pot holder. I'm alright, though!"

The voice of Kim's mom came from further back in the house, but they couldn't make out the words. Chat followed his nose towards the kitchen, where a feast of dishes were spread across the countertops. Kim was standing at the sink, running his fingers under the cold water, when a short woman bustled in, pulling his hand towards her.

She pushed her glasses up on her head and peered at his hand. She hollered something unintelligible, and a middle aged version of Kim appeared in the doorway. The man's dark hair was short all over, and shot with grey instead of dyed blonde, but it was obviously Kim's father. He handed his wife the burn cream, smiling at his family.

Another boy, several years older than Kim stuck his head through the doorway behind his father. The slighter build was reminiscent of their mother, but the face he made was one they had seen on Kim a hundred times, as he laughed good naturedly at his younger brother's mishap. "Did you forget the pot holder again?"

As the family laughed together, Kim swearing he was fine, Ladybug's eyes lit up. "King Monkey! It has to be! He's the only one I didn't give a miraculous to, other than you, Kitty! Did you choose him?"

Chat shook his head. "I've never been tasked with choosing anyone, but Kim is a good choice for the Monkey."

"The guardian… the _old_ guardian chose him." Viperion commented from behind them. "He was in Kim's presence when chaos was needed, and found him a suitable match for Xuppu. I never met the former guardian, but have become good friends with the current one." He shot a wink at Ladybug who, much to Chat's surprise, blushed pink under her mask.

He made to say something, but was unsure what, when Viperion thumbed his bracelet, and the shimmering sensation of switching locations took over.

The next living room they appeared in was one Chat was very familiar with. "This is the Lahiffe's house! Nino?" Chat ran through the remaining list of heroes in his head. "Carapace! I should have known!"

As if hearing his name, Nino comes in with his brother, Chris, and several cousins who appear to be around Nino's age. Chris was complaining that he didn't want to play with the little kids, that he was a big boy and wanted to play with the older kids. They firmly told him no and he went off to pout in his room.

Aunts and uncles were gathered in the kitchen, along with Nino's parents, reliving old memories and fighting old squabbles with good humor. Babies are passed from hand to hand, and toddlers demand food and attention. The older kids avoid the kitchen so as to not get pressed into service, whether it be babysitting or cooking. There are people everywhere, and Ladybug finds the sheer volume of noise and press of bodies a bit overwhelming.

Chat looked around, wide eyed and mouth agape. "Is this what families are normally like?"

Ruffling Chat's already unruly hair, Viperion grins down at the younger man. "This is what get togethers at your house are usually like. Or at least they will be. Everyone shows up with kids and kwamis… but I shouldn't say any more about that. Your wife will come after me." He grinned unrepentantly as Chat's jaw dropped even further.

Before Chat could ask any questions about his future wife, the scene started to shimmer, and Chat realized that Viperion had activated his miraculous once more. This time the scene was another house he knew, although not as well as Ninos. Two small girls, twins by the look of them were chasing a cat around the living room, while Alya's older sister, Nora, tried to help the cat escape, while chasing after her youngest sisters.

There was a crash as Nora's shin caught the edge of the coffee table, where a large, newly mixed bowl of glitter slime perched on the edge, waiting for the perfect opportunity. The jostling of the table sent the bowl crashing to the ground, and the slime landing squarely on the poor, unsuspecting cat. The cat belonged to the sweet older lady that lived across the hall from their apartment, but it often escaped, because Ella and Etta loved to cuddle it and give it treats, but sometimes the poor kitty regretted these decisions. This was one of those times.

Chat Noir felt sorry for the little feline, sitting there with slime pouring from its back, while more of the slime gripped in clumps to its fur. Quickly taking charge of the situation, Nora sent Ella for clean towels, and Etta for clean water and gentle soap, as she sat down with the hissing, but resigned, cat.

Alya stood in the corner, phone in hand, recording the scene, although the way she was shaking with laughter pretty much guaranteed that the footage would be unwatchable. Watching the chaos unfold around him, Chat's tail started to twitch, belying the fact that he wanted to join in on the fun.

As both he and Ladybug grinned at the companionable chaos happening around them, the room shimmered once again, and they were in the enormous, sterile foyer of the Agreste manor. Chat stiffened, and Ladybug's face fell as they took in the austere surroundings, the only nod to the holidays was a large, immaculately decorated tree. There was no warmth to the tree, being decorated only in white and silver, and there were no presents underneath it.

Ladybug stepped towards the tree, her gloved fingers trailing along the edges of the branches. She looked up the stairs before turning to Chat and letting out a long breath. "Adrien Agreste. He was Aspik. I don't believe you ever met him."

Ladybug lead the way up the stairs to his room. She'd been in the mansion a couple of times as Ladybug (and a few more as Marinette), so knowing where to go wasn't completely unreasonable. Plus she'd never seen Chat in Adrien's room, so she didn't know if he knew the way.

Adrien was sitting alone in his room, looking at pictures on the Ladyblog. Every so often, he would listlessly pick up his phone and check for messages, but would always put it down again immediately, as there weren't any. As he set his phone down again, it buzzed with an incoming message. Ladybug peered over his shoulder, and realized it was from Chloe. Having watched the two of them spending Christmas, basically alone, she understood their friendship much better, resolving to do what she could so that neither of them would have to be alone.

While Ladybug was having her epiphany, Chat wandered out of his bedroom, not wanting to spend much time watching what was in store for him the next day. Instead, he headed to his father's atelier, wanting to see what his father was doing, wanting to spend at least some time with his father, even if his father didn't recognize that he was there.

He passed through the doorway, which was an odd sensation, but saw his father standing, hands clasped behind his back, staring up at the portrait of his mother. Gabriel was talking to the portrait, promising to get her back, that soon, _soon, _she would be back in his life again.

Chat's eyes filled with tears as he stepped from the room, leaving his father in peace.

He met with Viperion and Ladybug on the landing, angling his head so they couldn't see the raw emotion playing across his face, but he could hear it in Ladybug's voice as she spoke. "Poor Adrien. I knew things were bad for him at home, but I didn't realize how bad."

Viperion placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and another of Chat's, softly squeezing, giving comfort, and letting him know that he wasn't alone. The stairs wavered out of focus, before solidifying into another set of stairs and another landing, much narrower than the one they'd just been standing on, but much more inviting and warm.

They heard the sounds of video games being played, and Chat is surprised to see that it is Sabine and Tom who are playing against each other, as Marinette cheered them on.

Watching her family with a smile on his face, Chat turns thoughtfully to Ladybug. "You know, she didn't reveal to everyone that she was Multimouse, just you and I. I think she deserves another chance with the Miraculous."

A faint blush appeared on Ladybug's cheeks, as Marinette told her parents she had something in her room that she wanted to take care of. Snatching a covered plate from the kitchen, she made her way up to her bedroom, Chat following close behind.

Ladybug followed a little slower, realizing that she was probably taking a Christmas treat up to the kwamis. Viperion gently touched her arm and gave her a reassuring smile. When they made it up to the trap door entrance to Marinette's room, Chat was standing stock still, as Marinette cradled a large spotted egg that he recognized.

Hearing Ladybug come up beside him, Chat turned to her. "Why does she have…" Then he broke off, studying Ladybug more closely, then turning to face Marinette. Turning back to face Ladybug he whispered, "Marinette? You're Marinette."

She smiled awkwardly as the blush crept up her neck. Waggling her fingers at her partner, she smiled awkwardly. "Hi Kitty."

Reaching over, he pulled Ladybug into his arms, hugging her tightly. "All this time. You were right here, all this time." He didn't notice the bedroom dissolving, until the cold wind ruffled his hair, and he realized they were back on top of the Musee de l'Armee.

Ladybug looked up at Viperion. "Don't we have one more stop? We need to visit Chat's house."

Viperion smiled fondly down at her. "Sorry Minibug. Your next visitor will take care of that." The chimes of the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal started to chime, and Viperion started to fade from view. Chat had very little time to process the fact that Marinette was Ladybug when the swirling mists that Viperion had become started to solidify once again, into a smaller figure.

Dressed in blue and white, Bunnix smiles at them as the bells of the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal once again chimed 1 am. "Are you ready to visit the world of Miraculous yet to come?" The question was asked, but she was already twirling her umbrella, preparing to create a burrow.

Dropping his arms from around his partner Chat Noir turned to face Bunnix, smiling as he felt Ladybug slide her hand into his as she spoke. "Alright. We are ready to face the future."

He turned his face to her, looking down, and seeing through the mask to Marinette for the first squeezed her hand, and she turned her blue eyes up to meet his green ones, as he softly breathed a single word. "Together."

She nodded, turning back to Bunnix, all business once again, as Bunnix opened a burrow and lead their way into it. Ladybug took the interior in stride, as if she'd been there before, but Chat was staring around, open mouthed, trying to take in as much as he could. Ladybug stood there patiently, eyes on Bunnix, while she scooped up a metal bowl, and unceremoniously dumped it, upside down on Chat's head.

A slightly muffled cry of "watch the ears" came out from under the bowl, but he wisely made no attempt to remove it. "Don't worry." Bunnix exclaimed, cheerfully. "I had to do the same thing the first time Ladybug came with me. She's learned. Maybe you will, too."

They walked together through a portal, back into the Agreste Mansion. Very little had changed, until they saw Adrien coming down the stairs. He looked a little taller, and a little less carefree. His shoes were green instead of orange, and his t-shirt was the same shade, with two black stripes running vertically, slightly off center, down the left side of his shirt.

Ladybug was struck by how much they resembled the bars of a cage. She was used to seeing him in horizontal stripes, although, she realized, those could also be indicative of restraints. His overshirt was black, making his blonde hair seem brighter, although she thought his eyes seemed to have lost their sparkle.

She took an unintentional step forwards, as, behind her, Bunnix pulled the bowl off of Chat's head. "Why are we here? Is this related to that other future you showed me? I thought we fixed that!" Ladybug's words ended on a near-sob, as Chat looked between the two of them, confused. Seeing Chat's expression, and getting a nod from Bunnix, Ladybug explained. "You found out my identity, and that caused you to be akumatized. Bunnix came for me, and I fixed everything, but it was one more reason to not let you find out who I was. One more wall I had to put up to keep you out. I guess now I'm scared, because, once again, you know who I am."

Chat stepped over to Ladybug, hugging her tightly. "I've always known Marinette was amazing. I guess I'm really not all that surprised that you are her, Buginette. And maybe I have one less amazing person in my life, but two of the best are actually the same one. How can that be a bad thing?"

While he was talking, Gabriel appeared at the top of the stairs, calling out to the Adrien that was staring at the tree in the entrance hall. "Son. Come with me. I know it has been hard on you, being kept out of public school this year, but those so-called friends of yours were a bad influence. Son, I want to show you something to do with your mother."

Adrien robotically stood up and followed his father into his atelier. The three followed him and gasped as they saw Gabriel pushing secret buttons on the portrait of Emilie, and disappear into the floor. Ladybug wondered how they were going to follow, but Bunnix was ahead of her. "So neat trick…" The rabbit hero said, starting to phase through the floor.

Chat gawped at her. "How?"

"Just think it." Came the reply as the top of Bunnix's head disappeared.

Ladybug closed her eyes and started sinking as well. Chat took a few deep breaths, calming himself, and thought "Sink" as loudly as he could. To his shock and relief, he, too, started descending into the floorboards.

They ended up in an almost tropical feeling room, full of trees and greenery and a few pure white butterflies gently fluttering from plant to plant. In the center was a structure that immediately reminded Ladybug of a high tech version of Snow White's coffin. Stepping closer, she was pained to see that she was correct, what could only be Adrien's mother lay inside.

Adrien and Chat noticed at the same moment, identical gasps escaping from their mouths, both turning to face Gabriel, but only Adrien spoke. "Father? Why is Mother down here? Is she… is she dead?"

"No son, but you see, she was injured, very badly. She was using a miraculous that was damaged, and it made her extremely sick. I have been trying to gather the Cat and Ladybug Miraculous to gain a wish and make her well. You would have your mother back, son."

Ladybug gasped, a hand pressed to her mouth. "Oh, poor Adrien!"

Chat was frozen, horror embedded in all of his features as he stared at his father with an expression identical to Adrien's. Once again, it was Adrien that spoke. "Father? You're Hawkmoth? Why?"

"Once the wish is made, all will go back to the way that it should be. I will never have had to chase those pesky teens across the city, where their fighting caused so much damage. You will never have lost your mother. Everything will be alright."

Adrien sadly shook his head, subtly tucking his right hand, where he wore his ring, into his pocket. Gabriel didn't notice the gesture, but Ladybug did, snatching up his hand, and peering at the ring, then back and forth between Chat's face and Adrien's.

Meanwhile, Adrien was trying to reason with his father, his voice only shaking slightly. "Ladybug and Chat Noir will never give up their Miraculous. And what about the cost for such a wish? Would you want to wish someone else into this state?"

Bunnix put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Come on, little ones. We should go." The three stepped into the burrow. "This future is not set in stone, but what you have seen today is truth."

Ladybug turned to face Chat Noir. She cupped his cheek in her hand and whispered his name. "Adrien?" At his nod, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close, whispering words of comfort, pulling back only to wipe away the tears he hadn't realized were rolling down his cheek. "We will stop him before this happens. I won't let him take you out of school. Hawkmoth _will_ be defeated."

At Adrien's lost look, she realized this was ripping away the last of his family. "Of course, you will come live with us at the bakery. Maman and Papa would be happy to adopt you. And feed you. And beat you at UMS III."

Chat Noir managed a watery smile. "Thank you, Ladybug. Marinette." Pulling himself together, he turned towards Bunnix. "And Nathalie is Mayura, right? It only makes sense." Bunnix nodded. "Is the Gorilla involved in any of it." He blew out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, when Bunnix confirmed that his bodyguard had not been involved in any of Hawkmoth's schemes. "Alright. Now what?"

Bunnix smiled. "Now I take you back to where you started." With that, she ushered them out of her burrow and onto the roof of the Musee de l'Armee. As Bunnix faded from sight, the bells finally tolled 2am.

Alone on the roof once more, Chat Noir found himself wrapped in his partner's arms. "Where do we go from here?" He asked, face buried in her hair.

"Home." She replied. "And once your 'celebration' is over, you come to my house and enjoy a real Christmas. And then… we plan."

The Heroes of Paris hugged each other tightly on that cold, lonely rooftop, overwhelmed with their new knowledge, but overjoyed at just who was standing there by their side. Ladybug broke the silence as she smiled up at Chat. "You know, we have a lot of people out there cheering for us, who believe in us, who are praying for us."

Chat smiled back at her. "And God bless us. Every one."


End file.
